Commissioner Roger Goodell has done an outstanding job policing the NFL and transforming it into arguably the most popular sport in America.
However, there is still one problem that Goodell can fix to maximize the NFL’s potential: eliminate two preseason games and add them to the regular season.
The preseason is meant to get veterans back into game condition, incorporate the rookies into NFL game speed and finalize the 50-man roster. All of this can be completed during the mini-camps and two preseason games.
Too many players have been injured during this year's preseason games, which has jeopardized the upcoming season for New York Jets' quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith, Arizona Cardinals’ first-round draft pick guard Jonathan Cooper, Buffalo Bills' quarterback Kevin Kolb, Kansas City Chiefs' tight end Tony Moeaki, New Orleans Saints' linebacker Will Smith and Pittsburgh Steelers' second-round draft pick running back Le’Veon Bell, among others.
I'm not saying that shifting two of the preseason games to the regular season will eliminate these injuries — it may actually increase the amount of players hurt — but at least these players would be playing in a game that actually meant something to them and their team, as opposed to a game that’s barely a level above two hand touch.
Goodell has an opportunity to expand the game and provide fans even more excitement during the season as the added games would have a trickle down effect from team management all the way to the fans.
More money would be collected from ticket sales, making team management happy, and more meaningful games would be available to watch, making the fans happy.
It has been 35 years since the NFL expanded from 14 to 16 regular season games, and it’s about time for Goodell to take the next big step in further developing the game of football by giving us 18 regular season games.
Reach the reporter at afeyrer@asu.edu or on Twitter at @coffeeblack910