At the end of September 2020, the NFL experienced its first COVID-19 outbreak. Games were postponed between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tennessee Titans when several Titans players tested positive for coronavirus. Since then, the NFL has been attempting to stop the virus from spreading so that it does not affect future games. 

There are growing concerns that more games will be canceled, or that the season may even be suspended. Imaginably there’s plenty of money at stake for the partners and the league. Television networks, including CBS, NBC, and ESPN, pay almost $6 billion each year to televise NFL games. Consumers may also suffer financially, (as these sports games are part of cable bill packages).

Is the NFL season going to be shortened? 

According to CBS Sports, ‘ The NFL chief medical officer doesn’t rule out the league pausing for the 2020 season amid rising number of COVID-19 cases.’ 

Over the last month, there has been an ongoing outbreak in Tennessee, along with cases in New England and Las Vegas. Allen Sills remained slightly optimistic, commenting that, with over 400,000 tests, and we’ve had about 83 positive cases. And in the overwhelming majority of those cases, we’ve not seen transmissions. We’ve only seen it occur now in Tennessee, and possibly in New England.’ 

Regardless, Sills admitted that all options were possible, including the shortening or suspending the NFL 2020 season if necessary. In the event that the league is canceled, it would likely mean that the NFL and its partners would transfer their media deals for a future season.

What exactly is at stake?

Well, for one, lots of advertising revenue! According to The Wall Street Journal, ‘the 

NFL advertising revenue during the regular season amounted to $3.57 billion.’ If games are canceled, it’s unclear as to whether consumers would receive any compensation on their cable bills.

Which COVID-19 precautions have been taken?

The NFL league has carried out extensive testing on their players. There’s also a system whereby personnel and players are wearing special recording devices. The devices provide contact tracing if a player tests positive. The NFL has ensured that mask-wearing is mandatory while inside club facilities. In addition, players must wear face shields on the field. As well as this, players and personnel have been asked to practice social distancing.

What do the NFL recording measures involve?

Earlier this month, the NFL announced to its teams that there would be new coronavirus protocols; these rules included no gatherings to be held outside the team facilities, and a video tracking system. The video monitoring equipment functions to make sure that players comply with PPE rules and adhere to social distancing measures. The video system is now being used while traveling and while inside the team facilities.

What happens if players break protocols? 

Roger Goodell revealed the new rules to the NFL league in a memo. He stated that, ‘Protocol violations that result in virus spread requiring adjustments to the schedule or otherwise impacting other teams will result in additional financial and competitive discipline, including the adjustment or loss of draft choices or even the forfeit of a game.’ 

CNN reported that the NFL league issued fines against several Las Vegas Raiders players, for failing to follow protocol. ‘The fines come a week after the 10 Raiders players failed to wear facial coverings while attending a fundraising event hosted by tight end Darren Waller.’ Waller was handed a fine of $30,000; his teammates, including Jason Witten and Derek Carr, ended up with a fine of $15,000 each. 

Are the NFL players safe on the field? 

Naturally, social distancing policies cannot be followed throughout the football game itself, and so players are putting themselves at some risk when on the fields. Those who play this season may also be putting their families at risk, so the decision to play is not easy. It’s commonplace that NFL contracts are ‘non-guaranteed,’ and so employment with the NFL can be risky at the best of times. Many believe that these types of contracts encourage a culture where players continue on the field, despite injuries or ill health.

Oxford College epidemiologist, Zachary Binnery, commented that ‘ I continue to be nervous because they’re essentially trying to run MLB’s playbook, but with more people creating more chances for the virus to get in, and more contact creating more chances for it to spread around a team or between teams when it does. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a sport less conducive to the concept of social distancing than football.’ 

Many NFL players do not want to sit this season out; however, there’s no guarantee that continuing to play won’t put their health at risk. Unfortunately, NFL players have needed to make some tough calls over the last few months.

How are the NFL responding to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Besides following PPE and social distancing protocol, some NFL players have taken steps to lessen coronavirus’s impact on wider society. According to a source in the NFLPA, ‘Landon Collins has been named Week 3 NFLPA Community MVP for distributing 1,500 meals, as well as gift cards and other resources, to single-parent households in need across Virginia and Washington D.C.’ It’s no secret that the pandemic has hit the community hard, with surging unemployment and many families struggling to make ends meet.

Collins created ‘The Humble Path Foundation’ last year. Since then, the charity has served meals to hundreds of frontline workers throughout the pandemic. The foundation also designed ‘Back to School’ kits, which provided at-risk children with hygiene kits, school supplies, and backpacks.

The Green Bay Packers 

Throughout the pandemic, the Green Bay Packers have paid grants using the ‘Packers Give Back COVID-19 Community Relief Fund.’ It’s a fund of £1.5 million, intended to support those living in Wisconsin, who have faced financial challenges due to the coronavirus. According to the Packers website, ‘79 grants totaling $1 million have gone to 58 different Brown County groups that are on the front lines of helping those most impacted by the pandemic, including organizations addressing food and hygiene needs, housing assistance, transportation, medication, and other basic needs.’

How has COVID-19 impacted on NFL training? 

Under normal circumstances, the offseason is a period where NFL players can physically prepare their bodies for the season. Due to COVID-19, things have been very far from ‘business as usual.’ Social distancing protocols have meant that the players haven’t been able to use the team facilities for working out. The players have needed to find alternative methods to prepare themselves for the season.

James Washington of the Pittsburgh Steelers went to his parent’s farm for the summer; the picturesque spot in Abilene, Texas, proved an ideal training spot! Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota quarterbacks ended up training using his driveway. The players have needed to get a little creative this season, but they’ve still managed to train adequately while following social distancing protocols. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the sports community as a whole. Things have been very different this year, we’ve rarely had the chance to attend sporting events in person, and unfortunately these trends are likely to continue.

As you can see, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on NFL football. For now, at least, the season continues for both players and fans to experience. Whether it’s NFL online betting or watching the game with friends, there are plenty of ways to enjoy watching the NFL (so get your bets on while you still can)!