What happened: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stated that an expansion to an 18-game NFL regular season is approaching realization. Jones asserted that moving to an 18-game schedule is in the best interest of all parties, specifically highlighting the players.

Why it matters: Adding an 18th regular-season game would mark the league's first calendar expansion since moving to a 17-game format in 2021. Any formal modification requires negotiation with the NFL Players Association under the collective bargaining agreement, centering on player workload and revenue distribution.

What to watch: League owners and the NFLPA are expected to continue informal calendar discussions ahead of upcoming league meetings. Any official adoption would require union agreement and a formal ownership vote.