Patrick Mahomes is the face of the NFL's present. But when it comes to the league's likely future — an 18-game regular season — the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback isn't exactly offering a thumbs-up.
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In an interview with CNBC Sport, Mahomes acknowledged the mounting momentum toward expanding the schedule yet voiced caution about what it could mean for player health and the quality of late-season games.
"I think that you'd have to find a way to have more bye weeks, more time spread out," Mahomes told CNBC's Alex Sherman. "Because, I mean, you've seen the amount of injuries that have kind of piled up there at the end of seasons, and you want to have the best players playing in the biggest games."
While Mahomes didn't outright dismiss the possibility of an 18-game slate, he made it clear the concept is far from ideal, at least under the current format.
"If there were a way to get to 18 games, I'm not — I'm not a big fan of it," he added. "But if there were a way, I think you got to add some bye weeks in there to give more time for guys' bodies."
Mahomes isn't alone. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has previously voiced similar concerns, calling for a second bye week should the NFL push ahead with another regular-season contest.
A second bye week would help offset the added wear and tear, though it creates logistical headaches. Perhaps that is also a reason for Mahomes' concern. The league experimented with two byes back in 1993, but the model was quickly scrapped — networks bristled at the reduced number of weekly games, and fan engagement lagged. Still, the NFL has since expanded from 28 to 32 teams, making today's landscape far more flexible.
There's also the matter of timing. One of the league's primary selling points for an 18th game is aligning the Super Bowl with President's Day weekend. Adding an extra bye week would push the title game beyond that coveted holiday, unless the NFL is willing to start the season on Labor Day weekend, a throwback some believe is worth considering.
For now, it remains a matter of when, not if. The current collective bargaining agreement runs through 2030, meaning a formal change may not arrive until the next round of labor talks, unless the NFLPA agrees to terms sooner. Otherwise, the risk of a lockout looms.
The league may eventually get its 18th game. But players like Mahomes are making it clear: it can't come at the cost of their bodies, or the integrity of the game.
