Report: NFL expected to expand regular season to 17 games this week

It’s been known for a while that the NFL was probably going expand the regular season to 17 games in the 2021 season, but it sounds like that decision will be made official this week, according to ESPN.

NFL is expected to expand the regular season schedule this week to 17 games. The league had played a 16-game regular season schedule since 1978, by far the longest stretch without a change in NFL history.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 28, 2021

The 17-game season has been expected ever since the new CBA was agreed on last year. The entire league has been operating with the understanding that the NFL would play 17 games in 2021, and now it’s actually happening.

Earlier this offseason, NBC Sports’ Peters King reported some details about the expected 17-game season, including the Philadelphia Eagles’ opponent: The New York Jets. The extra game will have AFC vs. NFC, so the AFC East vs. the NFC East. And since the Eagles and Jets finished in last place in 2020, they are scheduled to face off in that extra game. King also reported that the AFC is playing host in 2021. That means the Eagles will end up with eight home games and nine games on the road. There will also be no extra bye week in 2021, so there will be 17 games in 18 weeks with the Super Bowl likely pushed back a week.

As a reminder, here are the Eagles’ opponents for this upcoming season:

Home:

Dallas Cowboys

Washington Football Team

New York Giants

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

San Francisco 49ers

Away:

Dallas Cowboys

Washington Football Team

New York Giants

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

New York Jets

The Eagles are 11-0 all-time in the regular season against the Jets.

The full NFL schedule will be released later this offseason.