The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — The NFL is expanding its international footprint to Australia.

The league announced Wednesday that it will be playing a game in 2026 in Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a venue that holds about 100,000 spectators. The Los Angeles Rams will be the home team for that game, part of a multi-year commitment to play in Melbourne.

As of the 2025 season, the NFL can schedule up to eight league-operated regular-season games internationally.

London will host three games next season — two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at Wembley Stadium. The Browns and the New York Jets are the home teams at Tottenham; and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley.

The Colts are the home team for a game in Berlin at Olympic Stadium, and the Miami Dolphins will be the hosts at Real Madrid ‘s venue.

Not a fan of 18

NEW ORLEANS — An 18-game NFL regular season isn’t a slam dunk.

NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell pushed back on it Wednesday even though NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has openly talked about it as if it’s inevitable.

The two sides haven’t had formal discussions about expanding the season, which would require renegotiating the collective bargaining agreement.

“Their side hasn’t raised it, we certainly haven’t raised it. … Any commentary outside of a formal negotiation is just commentary,” Howell said. “It’s a players’ decision as to what they will agree to do or not.”

Of course, the players’ union would want the league to make several concessions in order to agree to an 18th game.

Jalen Reeves-Maybin, a linebacker for the Lions and NFLPA president, wouldn’t specify what the players may want in return.

“It wouldn’t be fair for us to speak for everyone,” Reeves-Maybin said. “There’s thousands of guys and we haven’t been deep enough into the conversation.”

CTE revealed

BOSTON — Former St. Louis Cardinals offensive lineman Conrad Dobler has been diagnosed with an advanced stage of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Dobler was a physical player who embraced the violent nature of the NFL so completely that in the 1970s he was dubbed “Pro Football’s Dirtiest Player.” All that violence may have damaged him worst of all. Dobler’s family said Wednesday that he had an advanced form of CTE. The degenerative brain disease that has been linked to concussions and repeated hits to the head common in football.

and other contact sports can only be diagnosed by examining the brain posthumously. Dobler died in 2023.

Kittle wins

NEW ORLEANS — San Francisco 49ers two-time All-Pro tight end George Kittle is the USAA 2024 Salute to Service award winner.

Kittle beat out Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones and Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Morgan Fox for the award.

The award recognizes the “exceptional efforts by members of the NFL family to honor and support the military community.” Kittle will be recognized at NFL Honors on Thursday night.

Kittle hosts military and frontline heroes at every 49ers game, donating more than 400 tickets in the last six years. Kittle and his family amplify community stories, nearly 60 of those involving veterans, through the Hidden Pearls Podcast founded in 2020. Kittle and his family created an app offering free mental health resources for veterans.

Retiring Bill

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills safety Micah Hyde made his retirement official after 11 NFL seasons by posting a note on his Instagram account. The 34-year-old Hyde had already made clear this past season would be his last after signing to the Bills practice squad in early December. He spent the remainder of the season and playoffs on the practice squad in serving more of a role as on-field mentor to Buffalo’s young safeties. Hyde spent seven years in Buffalo and his first four seasons with Green Bay.