Under normal circumstances, there are four weeks of the NFL preseason, week 1 and 4 have officially been cancelled (per Jason La Canfora CBS sports NFL insider). The NFL is still deciding if they should scratch the pre-season entirely.
The players association, NFLPA, have not yet signed off on the shortened preseason. Some feel it is too dangerous for fans, as Covid-19 cases are on the rise and most players and coaches would benefit from longer training camps. Pending the NFLPA’s decision, the league is forced to rearrange the 2-game preseason giving each team a home and away game (per the Miami Herald).
Of the 4 major sports, NFL has the most extensive rosters at a maximum of 55 players (48 may be active). The highly transmittable virus will be difficult to contain with that number of players in one locker room.
As of now, NFL remains optimistic in its regular season plans to remain on schedule. Thom Mayer, NFLPA medical director, announced there will be tri-weekly testing for players, an effort to contain the spread throughout the high-contact sport. For fans that wish to attend regular season games, the NFL has announced they will blocking off the first 6-8 rows to distance player-fan contact; they are even mingling with the idea of requiring fans to sign a waiver upon entry.
