“No one wants to play an 18th game. No one. Seventeen games is already, for many of the guys, too long. Seventeen games is also so lengthy that you’re still dealing with injuries going into the next season. So, there are a variety of issues that hang off of the length of the season before any formal negotiations.””

Last year, Howell said this about the possibility of expanding to an 18-game regular season: "It sounds attractive. Who doesn’t want to see more football, myself included?" On Wednesday, Howell made it clear that plenty don't want to see more football.

NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell pushed back on it Wednesday even though NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has openly talked about it as if it's inevitable. The two sides haven't had formal discussions about expanding the season,