NFL owners have dropped a proposal for an 18-game regular season and are instead focusing on an expanded 17-game season. The current schedule is set to 16 games.
"Not enough support (for) 18 and players would not go for it either," a source told The Athletic, which first reported the story.
The expanded 17-game regular season could also eliminate preseason games entirely, a source told ESPN.
The current collective bargaining agreement between the NFL players union and the owners expires after the 2020 season. NFL owners had initially imposed the start of the 2019 season as a deadline to negotiate a new CBA. Although one has not been made, sources told ESPN that a deal is getting closer.
Discussions will resume after NFL Players Association director DeMaurice Smith finishes his annual visit with the 32 NFL teams.