Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers president acknowledges problems with NFL preseason

Published Jul. 21, 2015 10:24 a.m. ET

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Green Bay Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy knows there's a problem with the NFL's current format for preseason games, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky, but the solution doesn't appear to be right around the corner.

Some have suggested turning two preseason games into regular-season games, but a more rigorous season goes against the growing concern for player safety.

"I think with all the concern about player health and safety, it would be difficult to go from 16 regular-season games to 18," Murphy said, via ESPN. "One of the things that has kind of been looked at is, do we reduce the number of games overall [to] three preseason games and 16 regular-season games? But obviously there's a loss of revenue that comes with that."

Murphy says the league, as a whole, is taking a critical eye to the preseason—the fourth game in particular. Many fans find the final dress rehearsal for the regular season to be pointless, but it's still a valuable contest for the evaluation of bubble players trying to land roster spots.

"At the league level, we continue to study the preseason," Murphy said, per ESPN. "Those of you that have been around the league for a long time, it's changed dramatically. The way the players train in the offseason, the preseason games are just significantly different. The fourth [preseason] game, very few starters across the league play. They're all on Thursday.

"So there are some that look and say, 'Why do we play that game?' The flip side is it's a chance to look at and make some roster decisions on younger players [and] develop some players. But it is an issue within the league."

Although it's more of an annoyance than a crippling problem, the NFL is always focused on improving the fan experience—even for preseason games.

(h/t ESPN)

Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports