Aaron Rodgers Advocates for NFL International Week, Jabs Owners Over Travel Budgets

Following the first regular-season game in France, Aaron Rodgers proposed a schedule featuring 16 international games and an additional bye week.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers advocated for a dedicated international week featuring 16 games in different global locations following the league's first regular-season contest in France between the Steelers and New Orleans Saints. According to ESPN, Rodgers suggested the league should adopt a 16-game regular season with two bye weeks, using one of those breaks to facilitate global expansion. The NFL is currently playing a record nine international games across seven countries this season, including Mexico, Brazil, Ireland, England, Spain, and Germany.

Rodgers criticized team owners for prioritizing a 17-game schedule for extra revenue rather than player safety. The four-time MVP also took swipes at ownership for being "tight on money," claiming they limit travel budgets which prevents teams from arriving early to engage in community work and local culture. He suggested the league should mandate that teams arrive on Sunday or Monday prior to international fixtures.

The Steelers arrived in Paris on Friday, though coach Mike McCarthy noted that players stayed near their hotel on Saturday due to citywide rioting and protests over school funding and living costs. Rodgers mentioned that future expansion could include a second South American country or a destination like Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to further the game's growth.