Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Leaks 3 Bombshell Changes That Are Coming To The NFL
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft indicated that the NFL will soon make several significant changes to its regular-season schedule. Needless to say, they would be well-embraced by all football fans.
Robert Kraft is one of the most powerful and influential figures among NFL owners. He played a vital role in ending the 2011 lockout, allowing the season to start on time. Kraft, of course, also saved the Patriots and prevented the team from leaving for St. Louis in 1994.
So, when Mr. Kraft talks about potential league-altering changes? It definitely carries weight.
Kraft appeared on the “Zolak & Bertrand” show at 98.5 The Sports Hub today. During the conversation, Kraft revealed that the league is pushing for three significant schedule changes.
For starters, Robert Kraft said the main change would be expanding the regular-season to 18 games. They would shorten the preseason from three games to two. And finally, there would be one international game for all 32 teams each year (via Jayna Bardahl of The Athletic):
“I want to tell you guys, we’re going to push like the Dickens now to make international more important with us,” Kraft said during an interview on the Zolak & Bertrand show. “Every team will go to 18 (regular-season games) and two (preseason games) and eliminate one of the preseason games. Every team, every year, will play one game overseas.”
The NFL is looking to remove a preseason game in favor of increasing the regular season to 18 games while giving every team an international game, #Patriots owner Robert Kraft said on @ZoandBertrand. pic.twitter.com/DKeFs8ZsIi
— 98.5 The Sports Hub (@985TheSportsHub) January 20, 2026
We’ll see how hard the league pushes for that change, and when it might come into effect. Another potential rule change to monitor? A possible ban of the “tush push”, something Dean Blandino would love to see.
Robert Kraft’s Patriots Are One Win Away From Super Bowl 60
Kraft’s Patriots have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2025 season. They finished 14-3 to win the AFC East crown for the first time since 2019, but the magic didn’t end there.
New England easily defeated the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans to reach the AFC Championship Game. They’ll visit Sean Payton’s Denver Broncos, who will have to start backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham in favor of the injured Bo Nix.
The first five years of the post-Tom Brady era in Foxborough were primarily bland and difficult for Pats fans to watch. Now, Kraft’s team is just one win away from returning to the big game.
