Ward: Players May Accept Longer Season Under Right Conditions
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The NFLPA has repeatedly said they would not be in favor of an 18 game season, but they might agree to it under certain conditions.
Ed Bouchette, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, spoke with Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward who has been a vocal opponent of extending the regular season by two games. Ward said, the players' union might accept an 18 game season in return for better post-career health benefits from the NFL.
"It depends on how they do retirement plans. If you add two more games and talk about safety, you have to do something on the back-end," Ward told Bouchette.
"We'd jeopardize our bodies for two more regular-season games so if they can do something special with health insurance I think the players will go for it."
Ward predicted that if the season is extended by two games, then every player's career will be shorted, expect for quarterbacks.
He was encouraged that a deal might get done with the extension of the deadline last week, but after receiving emails from backup quarterback Charlie Batch, he said both sides are far apart.
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