Rodgers Says NFL Shelved 16-Game International Week for 17th Game Revenue
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 25
Rodgers Says NFL Shelved 16-Game International Week for 17th Game Revenue
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 25
Summary
Aaron Rodgers said past NFL labor talks included a plan for all 16 regular-season games in one week to be played internationally, paired with a second bye week.
Speaking after Pittsburgh's first NFL game in France, Rodgers said the idea died because owners prioritized money and later pushed instead for a 17th game and its added revenue.
Rodgers argued the league had enough viable hosts — including Canada, Mexico, Brazil, France, Spain, Germany, England and even Dubai — to make such a week work.
He also said the NFL should require teams to arrive Sunday or Monday for overseas games, but added owners would resist the extra travel and community-outreach costs.
The comments spotlight a broader tension in the NFL's global expansion drive: growing appetite for more overseas games versus owners' reluctance to absorb added expense.