The NFL will play as many as two regular-season games per year outside the United States starting in 2007, with Mexico, Canada, England and Germany as possible sites for starters.
The plan, first announced last month, was approved Tuesday on the recommendation of new commissioner Roger Goodell, who said the benefits of reaching an international audience outweighed the loss of some teams' home games.
"We are talking about a limited number of games that we think will have a tremendous impact," Goodell said. "It's in response to the growing fan interest in our game overseas. There are more and more fans on a global basis."
Mark Waller, senior vice president of NFL International, said the league expected to schedule only one overseas game in 2007.
No specific sites were given for the games. However, Waller said the league hoped to announce the first site by this coming Super Bowl, while the teams would be selected later.
"Germany has a large number of sites as it's just done the World Cup. UK has a significant number of great sites," Waller said. "We know the sites in Mexico and Canada, so there's no shortage of venues that are interested in these games."
The plan would be set up so that teams would rotate over a 16-year period, with each team playing outside the country twice over that span, once as a visitor, the other as a home team. That means a team would lose one home team during that span.
"Obviously the league's going to work out the economics and if we lose a home game, we'll get compensated," said Pat Bowlen, owner of the Denver Broncos.
ROETHLISBERGER NOT RULED OUT: Ben Roethlisberger's second concussion in slightly more than four months may not keep him out of the Pittsburgh Steelers' lineup Sunday or prevent him from practicing this week. The Super Bowl-winning quarterback is questionable for Sunday's game in Oakland, but Bill Cowher sounded Tuesday very much like a coach who expects to have his starting quarterback ready to go this week.
"He had an MRI done on his brain and neck, and both of those came back normal," Cowher said. "We also did the concussion test, and we're very encouraged by the results. We'll monitor his progress as the week goes on, but again, I emphasize that we're very encouraged by where he is."
BEARS-GIANTS GAME MOVED: The Chicago Bears' game against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands on Nov. 12 was switched Tuesday by the NFL from an afternoon to a night game, the first under the flexible scheduling format implemented in the new television contract. The 6:15 p.m. game will be televised by NBC instead of Fox. Under the format, the Sunday night time slot had been left vacant, with CBS and Fox each allowed to protect five afternoon games over seven weeks of the season. Each has chosen four and will pick one more.
BROWNS' COORDINATOR RESIGNS: Romeo Crennel had no choice but to make a tough call. He had run out of time and excuses. Maurice Carthon had to go. With Cleveland's season spiraling downward, Crennel accepted Carthon's resignation as offensive coordinator Monday night, one day after the Browns scored just seven points in a loss to Denver.. Jeff Davidson, the club's offensive line coach the past two seasons, will replace Carthon.