Aaron Rodgers just exposed the NFL's international efforts this season -- a record-breaking nine games in seven different countries -- as a cheap alternative to a potential 16-game slate that would've occurred across a single schedule week. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback outlined to reporters after his team's 16-10 win in Paris what things could've looked like had collective bargaining negotiations gone a different direction six years ago.
Incredible: Aaron Rodgers peels back curtain on NFL. Said a decade ago plan was for a full week of international games. Mentions Dubai as destination. But greedy owners wanted 17th game instead. Would have added extra bye for player health. He also rips owners for being cheap 😂 pic.twitter.com/nI6dkTmWlM
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) October 25, 2026
"There was talk about doing a week, an international week in 16 different places and you would just add an extra bye week," Rodgers explained. "I think it would've been phenomenal for the game but the owners were pushing for 17 games for the extra revenue and because they care so much about player safety."
That last bit was clearly sarcasm as he went on to claim NFL owners are "a little bit tight" on money which he believed was the main driver in killing the international week. The NFL has already played or will play in seven unique countries for regular season contests -- Australia, Spain, France, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Ireland and the UK -- but Rodgers pointed to opportunities in Dubai and further into South America as possible additional hosts. Talk about a worldwide effort to grow the game.
NFL "International Week" would actually be smart for scheduling and competition
It's understandable that the league wants it's international efforts to be talked about across an entire season. The 2026 games are history-making and introducing the sport to countries that are traditional soccer strongholds. Yet, the owners clearly chose the dollar signs over a player-friendly strategy to get the long travel and jet lag over with after a single week.
Rodgers suggested the league, had it taken this path, mandate teams to travel to their assigned destinations on a Monday prior the scheduled game -- presumably during the extra bye week proposed. He added that it would allow teams and players to "really embrace the culture" of their respective host cities and adjust to whatever time differences they encounter.
The Los Angeles Rams were victims of poor travel planning for the season-opening Australia game against the San Francisco 49ers. The team apparently didn't arrive until a few days before the game and the 18-hour time difference showed on the field with Rams players looking sluggish and suffering injuries rather easily. In the amateur game, Arizona State arrived in London for its game against Kansas at Wembley Stadium nearly a week ahead of time and emerged victorious.
Giving teams the extra time to rest and prepare to travel such long distances would go a long way to keeping players healthy and getting the best results on the field. However, owners see it as money left on the table -- or even an opportunity to go into the red -- to leave domestic stadiums empty for that long in the middle of the season. So, the league will continue on with its football colonizing quest while forcing teams to play one week and have only a few days to recover, pack up and go overseas to play again.
If there's going to be a voice to call out the league without consequences and get folks to talk about better alternatives and solutions, it's Aaron Rodgers. He looks like a man who wants to go scortched Earth on his way out. This time he's just not wearing the tin foil hat and people should actually listen to him.
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