Given the immense popularity of the NFL, should it expand?

Pros:
More money for the league and its owners
Civic pride
Doormat teams for existing teams to beat up on
Reduced threats of relocation

Cons:
Dilution of coach and player talent
Loss of fan base by existing teams
Bad (for the taxpayers) stadium deals

I'm taking as a foregone conclusion that the Rams are going back to LA. For too long, LA has been a carrot/stick for the owners to use against their cities to get new stadiums. So once that happens, should the league expand? If so, how and by how much? Since the Texans joined in 2002 and the divisions realigned, we've had the relatively rare situation of all divisions being the same size. for an extended period of time. Post-merger, it was only the case from '95-'98, from the time Carolina & Jacksonville joined until the NuBrowns started play.

Left up to me, I'd expand to 40 teams over the course of about 20 years. One team joins each conference at five-year intervals. And yes, we'd go international.

Phase 1 (2018):
London joins the AFC East
Toronto joins the NFC North

Phase 2 (2023)
Las Vegas joins the NFC West
Mexico City joins the AFC South

Phase 3 (2028)
Portland joins the AFC West
San Antonio joins the NFC South

Phase 4 (2033)
Saint Louis (replacement team) joins the AFC North
Orlando joins the NFC East

I could also see Austin, Oklahoma City or Salt Lake City supporting teams, so any of those would be good relocation targets for the Jaguars.

Too much? Not enough? Wrong cities?

I can see expanding. But I don't think London will work. I know they'd like that.

A London home team would have to shuttle across the Atlantic every couple of weeks. I don't see that going over well.

A flight from Miami to London is just barely longer than a flight from San Diego to Buffalo.

If they have back-to-back home and away games and a stateside training facility, travel could be reduced.

If a west coast team is visiting, have it be the week after they play a Thursday game. It could work.

Why not just absorb the CFL like they did the AFL?

They'd pretty much have to play a longer season and I'm not sure the NFLPA would go for it.

There's barely enough talent for the 32 teams they have. I don't think they should expand, personally.

They'd get better talent by absorbing a high school league.

I don't see how Las Vegas would work either given the 'integrity' of the game and gambling, not to mention logistically speaking. And as far as total expansion, anything more than 2 new teams would be too many in my opinion. I agree that the talent isn't there for that many more teams..

Bob speaks the truth. The players playing at that level and Arena leagues simply aren't that good. I would say that most players cut during training camp are way better than a lot of players in those leagues and of course it is a different style of game. The NFL is a brutal business for so many talented athletes that just can't make it on a team for whatever reason.

I would like to see the NFL found an experimental league in the off-season where the players play without pads and a minimalist, soccer-goalie helmet (practically a leather helmet). Use some of that money to design some rules specific for a no-pads tackle football league.

I'm convinced it would be safer for the players overall.

Boxing injuries increased once boxers began to wear protective gloves and could then hit harder without injuring their hands.

check the stats on fractured skulls in pre-1950's football to get an idea on the helmets. they traded busted skulls for concussions. More than a fair trade, I expect.

Check Aussie Rules football or rugby to see how the rest of it plays out. The idea of a slant receiver running across the middle into the All-Blacks is truly terrifying. Aussie rules is fun, but its not American football.

Jason

Where would I do that?



So should I compare them or not? They are totally different games, and I would think American football is much more dangerous. But it seems like you're saying to consider rugby to see how it would go, but rugby is totally different so don't go by that.

I know one thing for sure. When I watched rugby when it was on a while back those guys know how to tackle. They rarely missed and they had good form, thus insuring as much as can be that they don't get injured because they lead with their head and neck. The fearlessness of NFL players because of their protection is foolhardy. There is little to no technique on many players in the NFL that have spent their entire lives playing football.

I like the idea of expanding to 17 games. Add 1 more bye week and making that extra game a Neutral Site Game

You could do 8 weeks in London (teams get a bye after their week there) London gets a whole Home set. Then NFL can try other venues such as Toronto, Mexico City, etc with remaining 8 games to increase excitement in new areas.

This is the way my son's High School team is teaching tackling this year. Following an instructional youtube video by the Seahawks.

Yeah, Pete and his staff are big proponents of Heads Up football tackling.

Definitely not enough QBs.

No there really isn't. Elite level QB play is rare in the NFL.

Glad to hear this. Proper tackling and fundamentals.....

Orlando? I'll eat Hanzo's shorts before I'll allow Florida to have three NFL teams.


Yeah, I know! Jacksonville doesn't count as a professional football team.