DANA POINT, Calif. (AP) -Nearly three years after punting NFL Europe into oblivion, Roger Goodell wants to bring back a developmental league.
The commissioner raised the subject Wednesday while discussing his desire to see the exhibition season shortened to expand the regular season to 17 or 18 games.
One issue is how teams would make up for losing the snaps they give younger players in August games in order to develop.
“The way we look at the developmental league would be mostly in the offseason where players could get those reps and then have the opportunity to play in the NFL as they work into the season,” said Goodell, who didn’t have any specifics yet for a new developmental league. “That’s the key. That’s what we did with the NFL Europe structure, for example. That would be valuable, I think, as you look at how we develop our players.”
tment” it was time to close the league and concentrate internationally on regular-season games outside the United States.
The league reportedly was losing about $30 million a season. Five of the league’s six teams were in Germany, with the other in Amsterdam, when it was folded.
“If it was a developmental league, it should be done for that purpose, for the purpose of developing players,” Goodell said. “So the commercial aspects, the international aspects, I think those would become secondary. That was my issue primarily with NFL Europe was that, what objective was it trying to meet? Was it trying to develop players? Was it trying to grow our game internationally, trying to be a commercial success?
“And then in the 2006 extension of the labor agreement, we lost any support from the players in respect to funding,” Goodell said. “So the economics became dramatically different. That was the major reason why we decided to terminate it. So I think all of those things would have to be factored in and, of course, this would be part of the discussions of the collective bargaining process.”
Star players often play little, if at all, in exhibition games, which coaches usually use to look at younger players. Goodell acknowledged that paying customers don’t think exhibition games are attractive for that reason.
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MOVING ON: Carolina coach John Fox believes his team has moved on from its 33-13 home loss to Arizona in the playoffs. At least as much as any NFL club can after such a lopsided and disappointing ending to a season.
“I don’t think you ever get totally rid of it,” Fox said. “But you get over it. Unless you win the Super Bowl, and we have not done that, usually your season ends with a loss.”
Reminded that the Panthers came very close to being champions, losing to New England 32-29 in the 2004 Super Bowl, Fox winced.
“That Super Bowl is the hardest to get over, more than that one,” he said, referring to the loss to the Cardinals. “The loss in the championship game to Seattle (in January 2006) was harder.
“People on the outside underestimated Arizona. I can’t say it’s surprising to lose to them. They beat some good teams. It was not like we played some high school team and got drilled by them.”
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DON’T PIGEONHOLE PLAYERS: Mike Singletary wants players judged on their skills and their passion for the game, not on their “measurables.”
and then was given the job after the season.
“The numbers are certainly important, I’m smart enough to realize that,” he said. “Some things are very telling. I don’t want a 5-foot-6 cornerback no matter how fast or tough he is.
“The will and the heart of a guy have to overrule to a point. I love a story when a guy never gives up and continues to fight. We need to find those guys at the core who have a different mind-set to get it done.”
Singletary said he’s benefited greatly from a half-season in charge, and so have his players.
“All I have thought about is what a team can do when it is committed to each other and can help carry each other toward their goal,” he said. “It was definitely a great thing and there is a lot of excitement. I am thankful for those nine games. I don’t have to come to the program straight out of nowhere. It’s a unique feeling to have some feel for the guys.”
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PLAYOFFS? DON’T TALK PLAYOFFS EXPANSION: The idea of expanding the playoffs from 12 to 14 teams was brought up again this year, as it often is.
Commissioner Roger Goodell is against it.
tremendous. We still have 32 teams. We should keep it to 12 teams and it should be special to be able make that. It makes the regular season special, that you have to qualify to get into that postseason.”
In 2008, the New England Patriots became just the second team in 31 seasons of the 16-game schedule to miss the playoffs at 11-5.
The San Diego Chargers, on the other hand, befitted from being in the weak AFC West and joined the 1985 Cleveland Browns as the only teams to win division titles at 8-8.
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AP Football Writer Barry Wilner contributed to this report.
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