The owners of all 32 NFL teams have approved the addition of a game to their regular season.
The Goodell circuit formalized everything on Tuesday on its Twitter account.
Concretely, this means that the regular schedule will be reduced from 17 to 18 weeks. Clubs will still have only one week off and the Super Bowl game will now be held in the second week of February. In addition, the preparatory calendar will now consist of three parts instead of four.
This is the first time that the NFL has added a part to its campaign since 1978. Let us recall that this important modification had received the approval of the Association of the players during the negotiations concerning the new collective agreement last March 2020.
“This is a pivotal moment in the history of the NFL,” said Commissioner Roger Goodell in a statement. The collective agreement and our agreements with our media partners allow us to improve the quality of the NFL experience for our fans. ”
In addition, the added clashes will feature teams having finished in the same place in the standings of their respective sections; half of these duels (in the East and the South) will therefore pit a club against its geographical equivalent of the other association. In the next season, the American Association teams will host these games. This means the New England Patriots will host the Dallas Cowboys for their 17th duel in 2021, as the two clubs concluded the 2020 campaign in third place in their respective sections.
For their part, the clubs of the North sections will face their equivalent in the West of the other association.
The addition of a week will also allow the league to obtain additional income and thus offset the economic losses incurred in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This season, the NFL has been forced to raise its salary cap from $ 198.2 million to $ 182.5 million.
Last year, the Goodell circuit had already made a big change by adding a team in the playoffs, bringing the total of participating clubs to 14.
Duels added to the 2021 regular season schedule
Is
Washington Football Team (NFC) c. Buffalo Bills (AFC)
Giants de New York (NFC) c. Dolphins de Miami (AFC)
Dallas Cowboys (NFC) v. New England Patriots (AFC)
Philadelphia Eagles (NFC) v. New York Jets (AFC)
West (NFC) – North (AFC)
Seahawks de Seattle (NFC) c. Steelers de Pittsburgh (AFC)
Rams de Los Angeles (NFC) c. Ravens de Baltimore (AFC)
Cardinals de l’Arizona (NFC) c. Browns de Cleveland (AFC)
49ers de San Francisco (NFC) c. Bengals de Cincinnati (AFC)
South
Saints of New Orleans (NFC) v. Tennessee Titans (AFC)
Buccaneers de Tampa Bay (NFC) c. Colts d’Indianapolis (AFC)
Panthers de la Caroline (NFC) c. Texans de Houston (AFC)
Falcons d’Atlanta (NFC) c. Jaguars de Jacksonville (AFC)
North (NFC) – West (AFC)
Packers de Green Bay (NFC) c. Chiefs de Kansas City (AFC)
Chicago Bears (NFC) c. Las Vegas Raiders (AFC)
Vikings du Minnesota (NFC) c. Chargers de Los Angeles (AFC)
Detroit Lions (NFC) v. Denver Broncos (AFC)
