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NFL expected to announce 17-game regular season this week

By Erin Walsh | Last updated Mar 28, 2021 1:06 PM ET

The NFL will reportedly announce its expanded 17-game regular season at some point this week, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

NFL is expected to expand the regular season schedule this week to 17 games. The league had played a 16-game regular season schedule since 1978, by far the longest stretch without a change in NFL history.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 28, 2021

The NFL has played a 16-game regular-season schedule since 1978.

Peter King of NBC Sports laid out some of the expectations for a 17-game schedule in September:

There will be no extra bye week. 17 games will be played across 18 weekends.
The Super Bowl will likely be pushed back from Feb. 6 to Feb. 13.
The two conferences are expected to swap hosting the extra week of the season every year. AFC teams will host the 17th game in 2021 and NFC teams will have the honor in 2022.
Game 17 will be played between cross-conference opponents based on the 2020 standings.

According to Mark Maske of The Washington Post, NFL owners are expected to vote on the new schedule Tuesday and Wednesday.

Erin Walsh

Erin Walsh is a Boston sports fan through and through. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bridgewater State University and currently is in pursuit of her Master's Degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. Follow her on Twitter @ewalsh90

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