Cam Newton views adding 18th regular-season game as 'good business,' questions how preseason games will work

As nan NFL continues to grow its scope and capitalizes connected nan ever-growing fame of nan athletics some domestically and globally, talk of adding an 18th regular-season crippled has go much apparent. 

The NFL Players’ Association has said players "have nary appetite for a regular-season 18th game," while owners for illustration New England Patriots’ Robert Kraft believes "every squad will spell 18" astatine immoderate constituent sooner than later. 

For erstwhile MVP backmost Cam Newton, he’s taking a measurement backmost and viewing an 18th regular-season crippled from some sides. That appraisal has him believing preseason games, which each squad plays 3 earlier Week 1 of nan regular season, will go moreover much diluted.  

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Cam Newton of squad J Balvin looks connected against squad Druski during nan Super Bowl LX Celebrity Flag shot crippled connected YouTube astatine Moscone Center South connected Feb. 7, 2026 successful San Francisco, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

"Man, it’s a batch connected nan body," he told Fox News Digital astir different regular-season crippled added to nan schedule, while discussing his Iconic Saga Productions business pinch Offscript Worldwide. "If you really look astatine it, what’s happening is they’re devaluing preseason games arsenic we cognize it to be, and they’re trying to put it connected nan backmost end. 

"Because, 1 point we each cognize — and I opportunity this pinch each owed respect — America’s caller crippled has been, for immoderate time, American football. It’s conscionable bully business. The Super Bowl garners a world assemblage that nary sporting arena tin attest to, particularly domestically successful nan United States. So, they know, nan much they give, nan much they’re capable to garner from quality audiences."

So, arsenic Newton sees this simply arsenic "good business" for nan NFL, he’s implying nan convention will erstwhile again driblet a preseason crippled from a team’s schedule to adhd nan 18th game. It’s what happened erstwhile nan 17th regular-season crippled was added successful 2021, arsenic nan preseason schedule was reduced from 4 to 3 games. 

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"I think, erstwhile you’re talking astir nan 18th game, it really comes down to if teams are going to really attraction connected preseason, aliases negate preseason altogether, conscionable to get correct into nan regular season. That’s going to beryllium absorbing to benignant of see," Newton added.

While nan NFLPA has pushed backmost astatine nan imaginable of an 18th game, citing subordinate information arsenic 1 of nan main reasons down keeping nan schedule arsenic is, others for illustration Buffalo Bills near tackle Dion Dawkins spot it arsenic inevitable. 

"It’s going to hap either way," he told Fox News Digital successful a caller interview. 

"Then, 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. 

ESPN expert Cam Newton is connected nan group of "First Take" connected Feb. 6, 2026 successful San Francisco, California. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)

For now, 17 games is what nan NFL schedule will publication successful 2026. But, arsenic Dawkins noted, who really knows? 

To Newton’s point, it’s simply bully business arsenic request continues to skyrocket for nan convention arsenic each play passes. 

EXPANDING CONTENT REACH WITH OFFSCRIPT

Newton whitethorn not beryllium connected nan section immoderate longer, but he remains tuned successful pinch nan NFL and each different sports infinitesimal done his contented creation, astir notably his "Funky Friday" and "4th & 1 pinch Cam Newton" shows arsenic portion of his Iconic Saga Productions. 

Newton and his accumulation squad announced a awesome business pinch Offscript Worldwide, a creator-owned ecosystem that connects culture-shaping brands and platforms nether 1 roof, which includes REVOLT Sports and 3BlackDot. 

Offscript unveiled this caller business astatine nan 2026 IAB NewFronts, wherever they will statesman collaborating pinch Newton’s independent accumulation powerhouse, integrating his deed shows and amplifying nan scope of athlete-driven storytelling for world brands. 

Cam Newton connected power statement astatine nan Super Bowl LIX media halfway connected Feb. 7, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

"When you really deliberation astir Offscript, it’s for illustration nan ecosystem that bridges truthful galore different facets of our lives, from sports, to culture, to manner and truthful galore different things," Newton explained. "That modulation for maine wasn’t foreign. Instead of training to beryllium nan champion shot player, aliases nan champion athlete. Now, I’m conscionable training to beryllium nan champion contented creator I tin perchance be. 

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"I conscionable ever want to beryllium a beacon of nan person, successful a batch of ways, figured it retired arsenic I went. I’m conscionable truthful thrilled that Offscript gives maine and Iconic Saga nan opportunity to proceed to judge successful our vision, and we’re not capable to do these things without awesome partners for illustration this."

As this business kicks off, Newton will besides beryllium hitting nan roadworthy for nan "4th & 1 College Tailgate Experience," visiting HBCU’s crossed nan U.S. to observe their practice and radiance a nationalist spotlight connected student-athletes, world programs, and nan unsocial game-day civilization that defines what it intends to beryllium an HBCU. 

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