With new TV deals in place, the NFL will have a new-look regular season.
For the first time since 1978, the NFL will expand the total number of games that count from 16 to 17. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the league will adopt 17 games for 2021.
Earlier today, Commissioner Roger Goodell said that a vote on a 17-game season is on the agenda for the league meetings set for later this month. The only question left to conclusively resolve is whether the league will have three or two preseason games.
The league most likely will stick with three preseason games, in order to retain the total 20-game season. Before the NFL played 16 regular-season games and four preseason games, the NFL had 14 regular-season games and six preseason games.
Also, a 17-and-3 model would allow the NFL to eventually expand to 18, with the ability to trade a reduction to two preseason games when the next season expansion inevitably occurs.