Though the recent coronavirus pandemic has taken a stranglehold on American sports and how their professional leagues operate, the NFL is reportedly still planning to proceed with the upcoming football season as planned. Of course, the NFL held it’s first virtual draft in league history on April 23 so the virus has certainly already altered how the league has been operating as of late.
However, according to league spokesman Brian McCarthy, the league won’t be altering any of their plans in the fall, at least for now. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the league schedule will be released later this week that will include the season opener set for Sept. 10 and a Super Bowl date of Feb. 7.
“We plan to start on time,” [Spokesman Brian] McCarthy said…
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported in mid-April that the league planned to release its schedule, based on a full season, by May 9. NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent told The Associated Press this week that the league is doing “reasonable and responsible planning” regarding health and safety during the coronavirus pandemic.
Not only is the NFL planning to release its regular-season schedule, but it also plans to release its preseason schedule as well, including the Hall-of-Fame game, McCarthy told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“If we have to make adjustments, we will be prepared to do so based on the latest guidance from our medical experts and public health officials and current and future government regulations,” McCarthy said.
Though members across the league remain optimistic that everything go according to schedule once fall rolls around, the status of the upcoming NFL season remains very much up in the air.
Even if the season were to begin on time with the first preseason games kicking off in August, there would have to be major changes such as no fans in attendance. Hopefully, the nation will have started to progress past the pandemic by the time the NFL season is supposed to begin but for now, the season remains a huge question mark.
