Ex-NFL star Shawne Merriman advocating for players to get paid more when TV rights deals explode

Former NFL star Shawne Merriman appeared on OutKick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich" about the future of the league.

The NFL’s media rights deals bring in billions each year to the league, but it’s expected to rip up its current paperwork for an even more lucrative one as early as the start of the 2026 campaign. 

The NFL reportedly had a fall timeframe to complete a new media rights deal, but John Ourand of Puck reported earlier this month that it is now believed the league wants it done before Week 1 in September. The league technically can’t exit the current media rights deals until after the 2029 season, but there isn’t expected to be any opposition to getting something new done with its partners. 

With additional media partners potentially entering the fold in this potential new deal, as well as the incumbents like FOX, CBS and NBC, the NFL should see more than its roughly $10 billion per year.

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell looks on during a press conference at Caesars Superdome on Feb. 3, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana ahead of the NFL Super Bowl LIX football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

As a result, one former NFL star believes the current players should be seeing a cut, and that’s especially the case if the league gets its way with an 18th game added to the regular-season schedule.

"As long as the players are compensated for these games, and they’re not trying to stretch these payments out, and they’re still included in one game – I’m all for it," Shawne Merriman, the former San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills linebacker, said on "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich." "I’ve always said, having 18 games,