Roger Goodell (Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
Roger Goodell dropped an interesting hint about the next NFL expansion franchise, and it’s not the location you would expect.

There hasn’t been any NFL expansion since 2002, when the Houston Texans became the 32nd NFL franchise. After the Texans entered the league, the NFL realigned into eight divisions, each with four teams.

Among the “Big Four” North American sports leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB), the NHL is the only one that has added expansion franchises since 2005. The Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken joined the league in the 2017-18 and 2021-22 seasons, respectively, bringing the NHL to 32 teams.

Speaking to Alex Sherman and Lillian Rizzo of CNBC, the NFL commissioner indicated they could add an NFL expansion team outside the United States. Specifically, Goodell mentioned London, England, as a “possible” destination for the next NFL franchise:

“I would say that the markets outside the U.S. are very, very attractive. And we’ve got pretty good coverage here.

There are markets that could certainly support a team. We’ve always focused on, what are the competitive consequences of that? Can we manage that? And so every year we try to learn something from the international series…

“It starts to give you a sense of, can you do certain things that are going to be necessary from a scheduling standpoint and a training standpoint? When we first came up with the idea of (an international) regular season game, I didn’t think there would be as much support. But now, every team wants to do it. We don’t have to talk them into it. They’re asking us.”

With the exception of the 2020 season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL has played at least one game in London every year since 2007. They have played multiple games there each year since 2013, with three on the schedule this season.

NFL Expansion Could Still Be Years Away

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at press conference (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
Expansion in any of the “Big Four” professional sports leagues is easier said than done. The NBA hasn’t had an expansion franchise since 2004, when the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) became the league’s 30th team.

In fact, the Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Memphis Grizzlies (previously Vancouver Grizzlies) are the only NBA expansion franchises since 1990. As for Major League Baseball, there haven’t been expansion franchises since 1998, when the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays came aboard.

So, it could be a long wait until the NFL adds another franchise. 32 is an ideal number of teams with four divisions in each conference. Expanding to London seems simple before factoring in travel costs and time zones.

Luka Doncic ‘destroys’ the Mavs on his return. Gets standing ovation and shows love to Mark Cuban

Luka Doncic hits 45 points in his first game in Dallas since being traded to the Los Angeles.

It’s rare for a home crowd to cheer the visiting team, but Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas was no ordinary night.

Just days before February’s trade deadline, the Mavericks shocked the NBA by sending their 26-year-old superstar to the Lakers—a move that outraged fans and sparked backlash toward GM Nico Harrison.

On Wednesday, Doncic played his first game back in Dallas since the trade. The arena was filled with fans in both his old Mavs and new Lakers jerseys, many chanting “Fire Nico” in protest.

Despite the emotion in the air, Doncic delivered a dominant performance, scoring a game-high 45 points to lead the Lakers to a 112-97 win. It was a powerful return for one of the league’s brightest stars—and a night Dallas won’t soon forget

The Mavericks pay tribute to Luka Dončić

While the Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic remains heavily criticized, they handled his return to Dallas with undeniable grace. The organization made sure his first game back as a Laker was met with respect and appreciation.

Every seat in the arena was draped with a T-shirt reading “Hvala za vse,” which translates from Slovenian to “thank you for everything.” It was a thoughtful nod to Doncic’s heritage and impact on the franchise.

Before tip-off, during the starting lineup announcements, the Mavericks played a tribute video showcasing some of Doncic’s most iconic moments in a Dallas jersey. The emotional gesture clearly resonated—moving Doncic to tears in front of the crowd that once called him their own.

Luka Doncic ‘DESTROYS’ his old team

Luka delivered a dazzling performance against his former team, putting up 45 points on 16-of-28 shooting, including 7-of-10 from beyond the arc. He also added 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in a game that showed exactly why he’s one of the best in the league.

From the opening tip, Doncic was locked in. By halftime, Doncic had racked up 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting in just 19 minutes—marking the 10th time in his career he’s scored 30 or more in a single half.

Though his scoring slowed in the second half, he continued to lead effectively, securing both a Lakers win and an unforgettable showing for the fans in Dallas.