The NFL will not hold this year’s Hall of Fame game and neither will it conduct inductions for COVID-19 reasons. But that’s not a sign the 2020 season will be delayed. Quite the contrary: everything is going on as scheduled.
Players will report to training camp starting July 28. The preseason might be shortened to two games but the regular season is on course to start September 10. Of course, it will be defending champions Kansas City Chiefs hosting Houston Texans. But here are several things about the 2020 NFL season you might want to know.
Some Players and Teams Want the Season Delayed
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is adamant about starting the league as scheduled. But some teams and players are not so happy about his stance. Brothers Jason and Devin McCourty of the New England Patriots say they are nervous and unsure of how to play football in the age of the pandemic.
“I think everybody’s nervous, because the norm that we just go to work: we put in a lot of work, we bond together, we lift, we’re in close quarters,” Devin recently revealed. “That’s all being taken away from us.”
Meanwhile, Malcom Jenkins of the New Orleans Saints believes the NFL is a non-essential business and shouldn’t open up so soon. His biggest concern, though, is that there won’t be enough safeguards to protect players and coaching staff.
“Football is a nonessential business and so we don’t need to do it,” Malcom told CNN in a video interview. So, the risk, you know, has to be really eliminated before we—before I would feel comfortable going back.”
It’s not just players concerned about the start of the NFL. According to Sports Illustrated, multiple teams want the league to be pushed back to an October opening date.
How Fans Will Watch 2020 Games
Whether fans will attend NFL games is an issue to be decided largely by franchise owners and states. The Miami Dolphins, for example, have plans to allow 15,000 people during home games.
However, that decision could be changed depending on how Florida handles the growing number of COVID-19 cases. If the state can’t bend the curve significantly by September, then there’s a chance NFL teams in the state won’t host fans.
Most teams in the country will take a similar approach. They will host a limited number of fans where possible but that’s not a given policy. If social distancing can’t be enforced within a stadium then games will be heled without fans.
Luckily, NFL games will be broadcasted on TV as usual. And that means you don’t need to leave your home to watch games. You also don’t need to leave your house to wager NFL games. If you have an iPhone or laptop, you can bet on your favorite teams.
Of course, you have to reside in a state where online gambling is legal—18 states according to ESPN. That’s where many bookmakers are located, offer bonuses, and betting markets. Fortunately, more states are planning to allow sports betting in the coming days.
Trainer Camps Will be Within Team Facilities
Training camps will be conducted within team facilities this season. And as you would expect, players and coaching staff will be subjected to a lot of safety guidelines. First, they will be isolated from nonessential employees.
They will have designated entry and exit doors, isolated locker rooms, medical rooms, gyms, and practice fields. What’s more, practice facilities will be limited to 60 essentials (Tier 1) employees. However, that figure won’t include players.
Another expected measure is to retrofit facilities to support social distancing. That means some teams must rearrange their practice facilities or move them to temporary areas. Additionally, they will need to use one-way traffic and conduct virtual meetings where necessary.
Crucially, every team must have a designated isolation room for players or staff members who show symptoms of COVID-19. That’s particularly necessary now that NFL players will be allowed to stay at home, or team-sponsored hotel.
More NFL Health and Safety Protocols
Besides social distance and isolation protocols, NFL teams will need to enforce strict safety and health rules. For starters, helmets this season could have visors to prevent the spread of the virus.
The league is also planning to have a dedicated team whose job will be to detect players and staff members with signs of the virus. Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s head medical officer, anticipates the spread of the virus to team facilities.
But instead of waiting to react when players and coaching staff get infected, he’s choosing to prepare for it all. Allen’s concern resonates with that of Alex Mack Atlanta Falcons.
“I think it comes down to how can you control when people home,” Alex Mack, recently said. “What they do, what the people at their homes are doing.”
Indeed, the NFL has no plans of keeping players within a bubble akin to the NBA or NHL. But that considering it has coaches and technical staff members aged 60 years and above, it will need highly effective safety measures.
Dealing with Economic Concerns
The NFL and players seldom agree about financial issues. But this year isn’t like any other year. Many teams have furloughed hundreds of employees already and countrywide, cases of unemployment have been skyrocketing left, right, and center.
The primary concern regards whether players will agree to take pay cuts. Will they salary to reduced salary caps? If teams insist on salary deductions and players object to the demands, then the NFL season will inevitably get delayed.
So, what happens? Only time will tell. But presently, players are reacting by not committing to long-term contracts. Some teams want it that way, after all. But COVID-19 is the primary reason why this is happening.
Fourteen players have franchise tags this year and could commit to multi-year contracts. But out of fear they will get lower deals than they should, they are choosing to negotiate contracts next year. This includes Dak Prescott, Yannick Ngakoue, and Derrick Henry.
