New England Patriots center David Andrews, who won two Super Bowls with the team, pushed back on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s assertion that the league doesn’t need the preseason.
Goodell appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday and talked about adding an 18th game to the regular season eventually, taking away a preseason game in the process.
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David Andrews of the New England Patriots during a game against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Oct. 15, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Chris Unger/Getty Images)
But Andrews wrote on Instagram that it was Goodell who didn’t need the preseason and that many players, old and new, use it to get better and prove themselves.
“With all due respect, you don’t need it cause you’re not suiting up and there’s a lot of veterans who don’t,” Andrews wrote on his Instagram Stories. “But there’s a lot of young players and undrafted guys who need it to develop and prove they deserve a chance to play. But hell, maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about.”
Mac Jones and David Andrews of the New England Patriots celebrate a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 22, 2023, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi captured the post before it expired on Saturday.
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Goodell floated the possibility before the start of the 2024 draft. His idea would possibly push the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day weekend.
“I think we’re good at 17 now,” Goodell said. “But, listen, we’re looking at how we continue. I’m not a fan of the preseason.… The reality is, I’d rather replace a preseason game with a regular-season game any day. That’s just picking quality.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell attends a Super Bowl news conference at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on Feb. 12, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
“If we get to 18 and 2, that’s not an unreasonable thing. The other thing it does, (Super Bowl Sunday) ends on up Presidents’ Day weekend, which is a three-day weekend, which makes it Sunday night and then you have Monday off.”
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No meaningful steps have been taken to seek to change the 17-game schedule to 18 games. Any change to the schedule would have to be collectively bargained through the NFL Players Association.
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