Bills' Dion Dawkins delivers harsh reality to players about 18-game NFL season

Recently named NFL Players Association executive director JC Tretter suggested via comments released earlier this week that the union is "not in a position to" begin speaking with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners about what seems to be an inevitable switch to an 18-game regular-season format. 

Veteran Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins has been in the league since the 2017 NFL Draft and seems to see the writing on the wall regarding what is to come for future players. 

NFL will make "beautiful business choice" of adding 18th game

During a recent chat with Scott Thompson of Fox News Digital, Dawkins acknowledged that the NFL adding an 18th regular-season game to the calendar is "going to happen either way."

"I think the world that we live in is just a different type of world, right?" Dawkings explained. "Production, entertainment, sports. We're a part of that world where people want to see football more — they want to see it. So, the 18th game is a beautiful business choice as the league."

Per the terms of the collective bargaining agreement that runs through the 2030 campaign, the NFLPA must agree to any expansion of the regular season. In return for accepting a proposal submitted by league owners, the union could ask for an increased share in revenue, a second bye week to be added to the schedule and for changes to be made to offseason schedules. 

Dion Dawkins campaigns for owners, NFL to think long and hard about expanding the regular season

Tretter indicated no agreement between the two parties is imminent. That said, the NFL not yet picking a date for Super Bowl LXII in February 2028 has led reporters to assume the league wants to get to 18 regular-season games as soon as next year. 

"The only counter that I see to it is guys' careers are only getting shorter," Dawkins added during his comments. "Not to say that one game is going to make it drastically shorter, but one game can change somebody's entire trajectory of life. Like, if you make it through a 17-game season healthy, and you get to 18 and your body is ready to break down, something happens. Then, the course of your life is totally different."

Dawkins may have a point, but as he also said: An 18-game regular season is eventually going to happen.