Imagine the challenge and physical endurance required for players to push through nearly an entire season without the typical break — now, what if we told you that the NFL might soon make this a standard expectation? And here's where it gets intriguing: Currently, three NFL athletes—Ravens linebacker Dre’Mont Jones, Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips, and Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed—are on the cusp of playing their 18th game in this season alone. This is because they’ve already participated in 17 games so far, and the upcoming weekend could see them extend their streak to 18. What makes their situation particularly unique is that they were traded mid-season, moving from teams that hadn’t yet had their bye weeks to teams that had already played theirs. As a result, these players have been consistently active and on the field week after week, without enjoying the typical rest period that many players get.
Since the NFL expanded its regular season to include 17 games across 18 weeks starting in 2021, only a handful of players have managed to play in 18 games in a single season. Notably, wide receiver Mike Williams did so last year, representing his time with the Jets and Steelers, and this year, defensive tackle Leonard Williams reached that milestone with the Giants and Seahawks. Interestingly, this phenomenon isn’t entirely new—if we look back to the early days of professional football, the rules weren’t standardized, and some teams played more games than others. Between 1925 and 1930, the Frankford Yellow Jackets, for example, consistently played more games than most other NFL teams. Historical records indicate that during that period, four Yellow Jackets players appeared in 19 games annually, while an additional 11 played in 18 games, illustrating that longer seasons were somewhat common in that era.
The last time an NFL player participated in 18 regular-season games was back in 1930. If the league moves forward with its goal of extending the season to 18 games routinely, this level of durability could become the new norm. But it raises an important question: at what cost to player health and performance? Would the physical toll justify expanding the season further? And do we risk sacrificing long-term well-being for short-term excitement? These are the debates that are just beginning to surface as the league considers future changes. So, would you support longer seasons, or do you believe there should be stricter limits to protect players? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this topic is sure to spark lively discussion.
