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Roger Goodell sounded less optimistic about playoff expansion Friday

Posted by Josh Alper on January 30, 2015, 4:42 PM EDT
AP

At his pre-Super Bowl press conference last year, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that he thought there were a lot of benefits to expanding the postseason.

Among the benefits he cited were a “more competitive” league with better matchups as the regular season nears its conclusion and “more excitement” for the league’s fans. Talks about adding two teams to the postseason never came to a vote with the owners last spring and there was debate about the need to involve the NFLPA, but Goodell continued to sound optimistic about it when it came up in 2014.

He didn’t sound so optimistic about it during Friday’s pre-Super Bowl press conference.

“The possibility of expanding the playoffs has been a topic over the last couple of years,” Goodell said. “There are positives to it, but there are concerns as well, among them being the risk of diluting our regular season and conflicting with college football in January.”

The latter concern wasn’t aired last year and the better matchups that Goodell mentioned would seem to run counter to the risk of diluting the regular season, so it seems significant that they were specified while the positives were left undiscussed. Owners like John Mara of the Giants and Art Rooney II have come down against the idea since it was broached last year and Goodell’s tone may suggest he’s heard likewise from other owners heading into this offseason.

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24 Responses to “Roger Goodell sounded less optimistic about playoff expansion Friday”
  1. weepingjebus says: Jan 30, 2015 4:44 PM

    “But that’s really an issue for next year’s Commissioner. Hey, are there any chicken wings left?”

  2. tmcb7 says: Jan 30, 2015 5:02 PM

    GOOD. Cause if it aint broke, don’t fix it!
    (something goodell has no concept of)

  3. loumann says: Jan 30, 2015 5:03 PM

    Can’t you leave anything alone God-ell?
    Bring back Pete Rozelle….the guy with the fans in mind.

  4. cribbage12 says: Jan 30, 2015 5:05 PM

    It’s too bad Goodell wasn’t able to change the format for 32 teams to get into the playoffs. Under those circumstances the Viking’s would have had at least a shot.

  5. floratiotime says: Jan 30, 2015 5:08 PM

    I say scratch the entire regular season and just do playoffs. That model works great for hockey.

  6. cobrala2 says: Jan 30, 2015 5:12 PM

    This is about the first thing I have appreciated from Roger Goodell in years.

    And I’m sure it’s for all the wrong reasons. Somehow a rich guy can’t get richer so the idea was shot down.

  7. iamkillerfin says: Jan 30, 2015 5:13 PM

    QUIT ALREADY GOODELL!!! You are making Mark Cuban look absolutely correct on letting the NFL implode on itself!!! the 3 crappy trips to London don’t make the fans happy either!!! But you don’t care about the fans!!! JUST QUIT!!!

  8. yosoyfiesta87 says: Jan 30, 2015 5:23 PM

    Good, don’t water down the product, we don’t need more sub-.500 teams in the playoffs.

  9. johngaltx says: Jan 30, 2015 5:25 PM

    “…Bring back Pete Rozelle….the guy with the fans in mind.”

    That would probably be the biggest story of Super Bowl week.

  10. bigdogsolec says: Jan 30, 2015 5:26 PM

    poll the players, 2 less preseason game’s + more post season teams. see what they think “after all it’s there body’s beaten up every week”. not the comish ” who ever it might be “, not the owners.

  11. choplaruski says: Jan 30, 2015 5:55 PM

    As a Bills fan I’m 100% on board with playoff expansion, possibly up to 12 teams per conference.

  12. cboys4life2014 says: Jan 30, 2015 6:07 PM

    “Bring back Rozelle.” Weekend at Bernie’s style.

  13. araidersfan says: Jan 30, 2015 6:09 PM

    The urgency to expand the number of playoff teams has receded for now because Jerry Jones – who pulls Goodell’s puppet strings – had his team make a rare postseason appearance in the current format. If Dallas goes back to missing the playoffs then postseason expansion will be on the table again.

  14. ravenswhat says: Jan 30, 2015 6:11 PM

    Well sure, now that jerry finally finished better than 8-8, he’s prob not in Roger’s ear about it every day.

  15. derpadeederpjetsyjet says: Jan 30, 2015 6:12 PM

    Heres an idea; If you want your team in the playoffs

    Tell them to stop sucking and earn it.

  16. puntonfirstdown says: Jan 30, 2015 6:12 PM

    You can never have too many losing or .500 teams in the playoffs.

  17. brettfavresmidget says: Jan 30, 2015 6:24 PM

    READ: The Cowboys made the playoffs, so Jerrah isn’t pushing for it anymore.

  18. 52crabcakes says: Jan 30, 2015 6:35 PM

    another reason for me to back away from football that I was born into. It’s sad really.

  19. selldannysell says: Jan 30, 2015 6:50 PM

    Finally, some good, sensible news from the NFL.

  20. ariani1985 says: Jan 30, 2015 7:09 PM

    Why do the Packers love losing in the playoffs?

  21. goodellmustgonow says: Jan 30, 2015 7:44 PM

    Let me translate the real reason. The ratings werent high enough for the crappy, garbage 1st round of playoffs, so because they werent high enough we cant jam up the advertisers enough money to make it worth having.

  22. 1kelticlad2 says: Jan 30, 2015 9:22 PM

    Noone wants this either! Hey Florio,, tell Roger to research some of your fan polls! Who is he listening to?

  23. Westley Monell says: Jan 30, 2015 10:41 PM

    Please impeach the clown. Actually, there’s 2 of them and both are on the way out in due time.

  24. whoknowsnothing says: Jan 31, 2015 8:03 PM

    Go back to 3 divisions or just make 2 divisions per conference.

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