There have been 32 teams in the NFL since 2002. While there has been repeated discussion recently about expanding the schedule, there has been little speculation about adding more teams to the league—until now. Mike Repole, co-owner of the UFL, is now fueling the rumor mill on this front.

17 or 18 regular-season games? Just a few years after the NFL increased the number of regular-season games to 17 in 2021, there’s already lively discussion about when the league will add another game. It’s probably just a matter of time.

What, on the other hand, has hardly ever been a topic of discussion is the size of the league. There have been 32 teams in the NFL since 2002—and hardly anyone has talked about expanding the league since then.

Will the NFL expand to 34 teams?

That is, until now, because Mike Repole, co-owner of the UFL, openly mentioned in a media roundtable that the NFL is “talking about two expansion teams.” Repole dropped the information in passing while discussing his football league’s schedule.

The NFL, which deliberately leaks such reports through its own reporters, was likely caught off guard by these statements. So far, no one from the league has commented on the rumor.

However, the UFL co-owner’s statements should not be underestimated: Repole is extremely well-connected in football circles and also works closely with Tom Brady off the field. The two of them own the fitness and lifestyle brand “NoBull.”