It’s only a matter of time before the league adds two more teams to the playoffs, but it’s looking like that time will be in 2015, not 2014.
According to Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports, NFL owners have decided to table any further discussion of playoff expansion until their fall meetings.
Gary Myers of the New York Daily News also reports Tuesday that while commissioner Roger Goodell had enough votes needed to expand the playoffs, more work is needed in order to guarantee that it be a success.
Several believe that getting the NFLPA to go along with expansion will also take some bargaining and that bargaining could come in the form of more benefits for the players.
On Monday, former Pittsburgh Steelers and current Washington Redskins safety Ryan Clark, who was elected to the NFLPA’s Executive Committee back in March, took to Twitter to voice his concerns.
Clark tweeted Monday that owners “should explain to players why they want to reduce our workers compensation benefits, especially in Louisiana. … I don’t know how they can ask players to consider expanding the playoffs while they attack our injury benefits.”
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith also weighed in on Monday with his thoughts on expansion.
“The players have not seen a press release from the NFL indicating that they were going to take up the issue of better workers compensation benefits or increased injury protection benefits in light of their desire for extra playoff games,” Smith told USA Today Sports.
“A credible commitment to player health and safety has to include more than a group of Owners voting to recommend playing more games.”
We all know this is going to happen as the league is sure to benefit from it monetarily. Getting the NFLPA to agree to it, however, is sure to take a little bit of time.
