The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
NFL expands to 17 so Browns host Cardinals
It turns out the Browns are going to see J.J. Watt up close and personal this year after all.
It turns out the Browns are going to see J.J. Watt up close and personal this year after all.
NFL owners March 30 approved expanding the regular season to 17 games beginning this fall. It is the first time the season has been increased since 1978, when the teams went from playing 14 to 16 games.
The 17th game will all be interconference games. Teams in the AFC will get the extra home game this year. NFC teams get the extra game in even-numbered years beginning in 2022.
The AFC North in 2021 is hosting the team from the NFC West that finished in the corresponding spot in the 2020 standings. That means the Cardinals, with Watt and quarterback Kyler Murray, will visit FirstEnergy Stadium. The schedule will be released in mid-to-late April.
The Browns made an offer to Watt, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, when he was released by the Texans in February, but Watt chose to sign with the Cardinals.
The Browns announced earlier this year season ticket holders will not face a fee increase with the addition of a ninth home regular season game.
In increasing the length of the regular season, the NFL and players union agreed the preseason will be reduced from four games to three. The teams that host the extra regular season game will host only one preseason game, so in the end each team throughout the league will still host 10 games.
“This is a monumental moment in NFL history,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “The CBA with the players and the recently completed media agreements provide the foundation for us to enhance the quality of the NFL experience for our fans. And one of the benefits of each team playing 17 regular-season games is the ability for us to continue to grow our game around the world.”
The Browns’ home games are with the Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Lions, Bears, Raiders, Broncos, Texans and Cardinals.
The Browns travel to Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and also play the Packers, Vikings, Chiefs, Chargers and Patriots on the road.
Each team will get one by week, as in the past, making the season 18 weeks long. The 2021 season opens on Thursday, Sept. 9, with the first slate of Sunday games set for Sept. 12, as would have been the case in a 16-game schedule. The extra game pushes the conclusion of the regular season to Jan. 9.