The Washington Commanders may soon play in an 18-game regular season if commissioner Roger Goodell has his way.

On several occasions, Goodell has spoken candidly about believing the NFL will eventually add another regular season game, which is more of a when, not an if.

Speaking to media during Super Bowl week, however, the executive director of the NFL Players’ Association (NFLPA) Lloyd Howell said that confidence may be misplaced.

“Any commentary outside of a formal negotiation is just commentary,” Howell said, according to a thread shared by Mark Maske of The Washington Post. “And it’s a players’ decision as to what they will agree to do or not. Right now, when I’ve talked to the players over the last two seasons, no one wants to play an 18th game. No one.”

Goodell’s solution to adding a full 60 minutes of regular season play is to eliminate one of the three preseason games the league holds currently. Games where many starters may not play at all, or very little.

The logic of ‘it is the same amount of games’ may sit well with suits, but for those strapping on the pads for the majority of their team’s reps, it’s not that simple.

“I would say even just the thought of 18 games makes me cringe, Commanders‘ running back Austin Ekeler said. “That 18th game–personally speaking, not speaking for the membership–is something that is really outrageous to me…. Definitely very heavily against [an] 18th game.”

While Goodell and the owners may feel the addition is inevitable, it seems pretty clear from a player standpoint that it isn’t going to be an easy hill to climb to get them to agree to such a move.

READ MORE: Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes praises Commanders’ Jayden Daniels: ‘Extremely talented’

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