Get ready for asterisks, folks.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the league is expected to add a 17th game this week. It will mark the first change to the regular season schedule in 44 years.
NFL is expected to expand the regular season schedule this week to 17 games. The league had played a 16-game regular season schedule since 1978, by far the longest stretch without a change in NFL history.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 28, 2021
This isn’t a surprise by any means. The NFL has been pushing an extra game for a while now and it became official when the new CBA was signed in 2020.
Tampa Bay will play the Indianapolis Colts in Lucas Oil Stadium for its 14th opponent this year. The Bucs came back to win, 38-35, the last time the two teams met. Stampede Blue’s Luke Schultheis reports they will meet in the regular season finale.
And per Warren Sharp of sharpsportsanalysis.com, there will be no extra bye week that comes with the extra game.
other reported changes with a 17th game:
– no extra bye: 17 games in 18 weekends
– Sunday week 1: September 12th
– Final Sunday of season: January 9th
– Super Bowl Sunday: February 13th– Wild Card Weekend:
— 2 games Sat Jan 15th
— 3 games Sun Jan 16th
— 1 game Mon Jan 17th— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 28, 2021
It looks like there will be another week of Buc football to look forward to. Who can complain about that?
