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NFL players cognize they request to springiness their 100% each time they measurement connected nan gridiron, knowing it’s a matter of keeping their job, aliases seeing it taken by nan adjacent man up.
As a result, nan mean NFL profession is astir conscionable 3 seasons, some from nan elite talent excavation and nan wounded consequence that comes pinch a high-octane interaction sport.
The NFL, though, couldn’t beryllium doing amended from a business perspective, arsenic shot fans crave much action connected immoderate fixed nighttime passim nan season. The 2026 play will beryllium kicking disconnected connected a Wednesday nighttime this twelvemonth successful ample portion owed to nan Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers playing successful Melbourne, Australia astatine 10:35 a.m. section clip connected Friday morning, which will beryllium Thursday nighttime astatine 8:35 p.m. ET backmost successful nan States.
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Dion Dawkins of nan Buffalo Bills runs onto nan section anterior to an NFL shot crippled against nan Kansas City Chiefs astatine Highmark Stadium connected Nov. 2, 2025 successful Orchard Park, New York. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
No matter wherever aliases when, nan games will beryllium watched, which is why nan 18th regular-season crippled speech remains pertinent arsenic nan convention continues to grow its reach.
Buffalo Bills near tackle Dion Dawkins knows really grueling a 17-game play tin beryllium already arsenic personification who’s successful nan trenches erstwhile nan shot is snapped.
"I deliberation nan world that we unrecorded successful is conscionable a different type of world, right? Production, entertainment, sports. We're a portion of that world wherever group want to spot shot much — they want to spot it. So, nan 18th crippled is simply a beautiful business prime arsenic nan league," he told Fox News Digital successful a caller interview, wherever he besides touched connected his business pinch Oral-B and Crest to effect families successful request of dental cleaning.
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But, while he understands nan business facet of why nan NFL would want to present an 18th crippled to nan regular-season schedule, he thinks a player’s position needs to beryllium listened to arsenic well.
"The only antagonistic that I spot to it is guys' careers are only getting shorter," Dawkins explained. "Not to opportunity that 1 crippled is going to make it drastically shorter, but 1 crippled tin alteration somebody's full trajectory of life. Like, if you make it done a 17-game play healthy, and you get to 18 and your assemblage is fresh to break down, thing happens. Then, nan people of your life is wholly different."
Of course, Dawkins understands amended than others being a portion of successful Bills teams successful caller seasons intends playoff football, which comes correct aft Week 18 successful nan Wild Card Round. However, teams will remainder cardinal starters for illustration Dawkins if they person their playoff seed clinched, though not each are truthful fortunate during nan year.
Dion Dawkins of nan Buffalo Bills looks connected anterior to Super Bowl LX between nan New England Patriots and nan Seattle Seahawks astatine Levi's Stadium connected Feb. 8, 2026 successful Santa Clara, California. (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
No matter nan case, Dawkins believes "it’s going to hap either way." He conscionable wants to make judge players for illustration himself are taken attraction of decently if that is nan case, particularly from a financial lense.
"Our contracts aren't afloat guaranteed. There's bully players, there's mean players, there's players that are conscionable making it by. As agelong arsenic guys are taken attraction of nan measurement they're expected to, this is our life. We're athletes, and not that I’m present for it, it's going to hap either measurement -- [an] 18th game. And past 20 years later, conjecture what? We're talking astir a 19th, past we'll beryllium talking astir a 20th. …Then it's like, 'Yeah, we are combat athletes each twelvemonth long.' But who knows."
Dawkins added that possibly NFL teams will utilize workload games for illustration NBA players do, but it’s apt not nan lawsuit considering hoops players person 82 games during nan regular season. They tin spare a nonaccomplishment aliases 2 if that’s what transpires connected nan court.
The NFL is different, arsenic each crippled becomes much important than nan next, moreover if nan convention thinks of adding different to nan regular season.
David White, who served arsenic nan NFL Players’ Association's interim executive head earlier nan predetermination of JC Tretter, said during Super Bowl LX week that players "have nary appetite for a regular-season 18th game" contempt nan league’s push connected it.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell noted past that an 18th crippled was "not a given," but owners, for illustration New England Patriots Robert Kraft, opportunity "every squad will spell 18."
"Every squad will spell 18 [regular-season games] and 2 [preseason games] and destruct 1 of nan preseason games, and each squad each twelvemonth will play 1 crippled overseas," he said connected 98.5 The Sports Hub successful January.
Dion Dawkins of nan Buffalo Bills participates during nan 2026 Pro Bowl Skills Challenge astatine nan NFL Pro Bowl Games astatine Moscone Center South connected Feb. 2, 2026 successful San Francisco, California. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)
CLOSING AMERICA’S SMILE GAP
While remainder and relaxation is cardinal for NFL players during nan offseason, Dawkins is besides making judge he’s impacting nan community.
He teamed up pinch Crest and Oral-B connected their "Closing America’s Smile Gap" initiative, which intends to donate a free dental cleaning to families successful request done "America’s ToothFairy."
As personification who is ever uncovering ways to effect underserved younker done his Dion’s Dreamers foundation, Dawkins discussed really improving oral wellness entree for kids and families matters, particularly considering 50% of low-income parents will skip aliases hold their ain dental attraction to get their kids attraction they need.
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"It’s a no-brainer, a layup," he said of nan business pinch Crest and Oral-B. "For group that are doing nan correct things to help, it each aligns.
"When it comes down to it, 1 of nan first things group spot is nan mouth, nan teeth, nan ocular of your smile. …Sometimes, immoderate group are successful nan 1 bracket of, ‘All right, I conscionable request to brushwood my teeth, past I’m good.’ Sometimes, you request to spell to nan dentist, get a cleaning, and nan dentist needs to beryllium prepped and they request to prep you for nan people of life to beryllium capable to person a smile. For Crest and Oral-B, this is what nan world is: teeth."
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Scott Thompson is simply a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
