NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The NFL is finally coming around to the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic
NFL players let it be known just how concerned they were about the lack of movement in negotiations with owners as to safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Football is a sport predicated on physical contact, so players know that by opting in, they are signing on to take some potential risk. However, it’s the unnecessary worry that ought to be eliminated at all costs, and that starts with the four preseason games that, of course, do not count towards a team’s record. Roger Goodell and Co. had previously agreed to cut the number of games in half to two, but the players didn’t give in to such a limited concession, instead insisting more be done.
The owners have heard them.
NFL owners offer to eliminate all 2020 preseason games
With the struggles in labor agreements in other professional sports leagues, such as MLB, it’s refreshing to see the owners and players go back-and-forth in respectable fashion. The players have been willing to bend on the financials, and in return owners aren’t steadfast on every facet of the league schedule.
The NFL and NFLPA also agreed to daily COVID-19 testing at Training Camp, with both parties willing to renegotiate the frequency based on the number of positive results.
Such decisions are vital to a league that would prefer to avoid major mistakes, as one misstep could derail the entire season, especially when player health is at stake. Look no further than the initial outbreak, in which entire leagues were forced to pause operations because of the immediate risk. Considering the rising number of cases in the United States, there’s no telling where we may be as a country when the regular season is scheduled to begin in September.
Thankfully, it looks like the NFL will be prepared for just about anything.