Patriots To Play 1 Extra Game Every Season As NFL Makes Changes

The sports world has come to a grinding halt, but the NFL is still marching on.

The league year is scheduled to open March 18 — when Tom Brady will be free to choose where he will play next year — and the league's players on Sunday morning approved a new collective bargaining agreement that will implement some noticeable changes for fans.

Chief among the changes is the league shifting to a 17-game schedule, meaning that every team — the Patriots included — will play one extra regular-season game per year. The changes will go into effect as early as 2021.

The playoffs will also get two extra teams per season — expanding from 12 to 14 — meaning even if the Patriots stumble a bit they could still make their way into the playoffs. If the new system had been in place since Brady took over in 2001, the Patriots would have never missed the playoffs (they narrowly missed in 2002 and 2008.)

The new agreement, already approved by league owners, also includes financial and disciplinary changes. It guarantees labor peace through the 2030 season.

The deal narrowly passed in the players' vote, ESPN reported.