The 2020 NFL season opener still is months away. And while the league hopes to start on time, it needs to prepare for the worst.
The sports world came to a halt back in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak that’s sweeping the United States. The NFL has yet to make a decision on the season opener, while this year’s Draft will be completely virtual. OTAs already have been indefinitely postponed.
The plan, for now at least, is to begin the season as scheduled. But according to The Washington Post’s Mark Maske, the NFL has discussed what its Plan B should be, which includes potentially shortening the schedule.
“The NFL has been contemplating contingencies that include a potentially shortened schedule, holding games in empty or partially filled stadiums, and moving or rescheduling games if necessary, three people familiar with the league’s planning said Wednesday,” Maske reported Wednesday.
“The NFL is planning for everything from playing without fans to playing in full stadiums,” a source familiar with the situation told Maske. “We know there will be a push from the (federal) government to open things up.”
This comes the same day as Dr. Anthony Fauci revealing the way to bring sports back is to play in empty stadiums, keep the players in a specific hotel and have them tested “every single week.”
