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Tagliabue Seeks Owner Input on Preseason

Posted on: Sunday, 7 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said Sunday he is seeking owners' input on whether to shorten the NFL preseason or extend the regular season.

Tweaking the exhibition schedule became a hot topic this summer after quarterbacks Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons and Chad Pennington of the New York Jets were seriously injured in preseason games, sidelining them for several weeks of the regular season.

Teams then got so skittish about injuries that hardly any stars played in the final slate of preseason games, denying fans who paid full prices the chance to see even cameo appearances by the league's best players.

Tagliabue said Sunday he'll ask owners whether they want to pursue a comprehensive study on the issue when they meet in Chicago next month.

"I think there's still a pretty large majority of clubs that feel the current format is working very well," Tagliabue said. "But there are some clubs (that don't). Whether it's more than a handful, I don't know. But that's what we'll be trying to assess."

The league insists preseason games mean something, but the actions of the clubs suggest otherwise.

"I've been talking to different teams. Some think it should be studied. Some think that the current system is working extremely well and there's no reason to study anything different," Tagliabue said.

He said the offseason has evolved to the point that many teams feel four or five exhibitions is just too many.

"Some coaches feel that their staffs are as productively engaged in preparing to play football in April, May and June as they are in September, October and November," Tagliabue said.

"So, the question really is: Has the 12-month-a-year preparation regimen brought us to the point where we should restructure the preseason? Maybe shorten it? Maybe shorten the number of games? And then if you get to that point, then the question becomes: Should you just drop them? Should you add them to the regular season? What should you do?"

Tagliabue was in Green Bay for the rededication of Lambeau Field, which underwent a 32-month, $295 million makeover to transform the storied stadium from a 10-day-a-year business spot to a year-round tourist destination.

"It is still Lambeau Field with the bowl and all of the appearance that makes it so distinctive. And I think the blending of the new and the old is phenomenal," Tagliabue said. "It's as good as any stadium in the National Football League now."

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