Last year the NFL implemented a 17-game schedule to extend the season to 18 weeks. But San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle believes one more scheduling change is needed.
Appearing on Kevin Hart’s Cold As Balls show, Kittle said that he wants a second bye week added into the season. He believes that the physical toll is too great and one bye week isn’t enough.
“There’s a huge physical toll,” Kittle said, via Yahoo Sports. “And like, 17 games is a lot. It’s a lot of games, with one bye, whether it’s Week Four or the bye is Week 11. I’m advocating for two byes.”
Kittle pointed out that he’s had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on treatments to ensure he’s able to maintain his physicality for an entire season. He’s definitely not the only one.
The NFL Player’s Association reportedly pushed for a second bye week during their Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations with the NFL. But the NFL wouldn’t accept that, and kept the model of one bye week for an entire season.
Perhaps the NFL is reluctant to push the regular season and playoffs deeper into the winter at risk of weather adversely affecting games.
Whatever the reason, a change to the system is unlikely to happen under the current CBA, which doesn’t expire until 2031.
Sorry George. But this is one change that you probably won’t get to enjoy in your career.
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