NFL Insider Tom Pelissero on a Possible Expansion of International Games Slate

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero called the schedule release the Hanukkah of sports. Four days of candle-lighting, with the biggest present saved for the final night.

That last present, on this airing, was the full 257-game schedule. Pelissero used the lead-up to deliver a story about the league's international slate that has been buzzing around football ops the entire week.

"There is, let's just say, some frustration among some teams about the international slate, and specifically when teams learn they have to go and play overseas," Pelissero said.

The frustration sits with the visiting teams, who get almost no runway.

The hosts knew months ago. The Saints found out in January they were playing the first-ever Paris game. The 49ers learned during Super Bowl week, late January or early February, that they were hosting Mexico City.

Their opponents did not get the same notice.

"The Steelers found out on Tuesday, hey, remember last year you went to Ireland to play the first game there?" Pelissero said. "This year we're sending you to play the first game in Paris. So good luck. We're announcing it tomorrow morning."

Minnesota, fresh off becoming the first team ever to play back-to-back international games in two different countries, drew the same treatment.

"The Vikings find out on Tuesday, you're going to play a week 11 against the 49ers in Mexico City," Pelissero said.

The Colts, who played in Germany last year, got the news Tuesday that they were headed back to London.

The travel itself, Pelissero made clear, is not the issue.

"If you're the Vikings, for instance, Mexico City is basically the same distance as San Francisco," Pelissero said. "You actually don't even have to leave your time zone."

The frustration sits in the operations. New city, new rhythm, no preparation, after teams thought they had earned a year off the rotation.

"You wouldn't anticipate you have another one," Pelissero said. "Yet here it is."

Rich asked Pelissero where this is going. Pelissero said the current scramble is just the beginning.

"This is going to become, Rich, the norm for years to come," Pelissero said. "We know Roger Goodell has said repeatedly the ultimate goal is to have every team playing one game overseas. Right now under the collective bargaining agreement, that would require some horse trading. Of course they'll be back at the table sometime later."

His personal forecast goes further.

"My belief, just me, no one has told me this, but my belief is ultimately teams may be playing two games per year overseas," Pelissero said. "Just because if you're playing that many, it makes sense to have pods, reduce the travel, establish those markets with multiple games instead of one."

International slate expansion will be central in the next CBA negotiation. And if the league expands to 18 games, the question of how many of those are abroad will land on the table.

For now, the players' compensation for shouldering a second international game in a single year is the same number it has been.

"That's your bonus for going and playing the second international game," Pelissero said. "You get 5,000 bucks. Hey, it's better than zero."