Chris Berman: Damar Hamlin’s Cardiac Arrest Slowed NFL’s 18-Game Push

ESPN commentator Chris Berman suggests that the recent cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin may have hindered the NFL's efforts to expand the regular season to 18 games. Speaking at the Front Office Sports Tuned In summit, Berman stated, "The push that might have happened while these current deals were in place—once Damar Hamlin happened, not the time to put it forward."

Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during a game in January 2023, igniting a nationwide discussion on player safety. The NFL did not respond to a Freedom of Information request for comment. The league's current collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which is set to expire in 2030, does not allow for an 18-game season. While the NFL proposed an 18-game season as early as the negotiations leading to the 2011 CBA, the current agreement prevents any such expansion.

Despite this, the topic has been a recurring subject, with the NFL and owners expressing interest in discussing it during the upcoming negotiations for the next CBA. However, the issue has been on hold since the resignation of former NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. in July 2025, with JC Tretter now leading negotiations.

In February, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that player safety would be a factor in any decision to extend the season, and the NFLPA's interim executive director, David White, mentioned that players "don't have an appetite" for an 18th game. Berman believes the renewed focus on an 18-game season is due to the approaching expiration of the current CBA and media rights deal.

"When the NFL floats stuff, it's not a done deal by any means, but it's a bigger magnitude than what I'm going to say," Berman added. "The NFL is smarter than everybody else. You didn't hear anything about it for a couple years because you'd have to get the players and everyone [to approve], and then maybe with three years left in this TV deal, 'Yeah, we're having 18 games.'"