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Although the Commissioner’s vow has subtly shifted from playing a full season to playing a full one, the NFL individual has a high degree of confidence that the 2020 season will be played throughout, pandemic, nonetheless.
Yes, a hardened bubble in some cities may be needed, with extensive “voluntary” hotel stays by players, coaches and essential staff (some teams will do it all week, non-stop; some are thinking of a Tuesday-to-Sunday approach) , who stay away from family to prevent them from being infected by children, couples, or others who are with the players, coaches, etc. live, but it is believed that if the spread of the virus can be limited during training camp (there were zero additions to the COVID-19 list on Saturday), it will be easier, not harder when the time comes to play games.
The dynamics will adjust quickly once padded practices begin. For teams that do not practice in their stadiums, where multiple locker rooms can be used (the Steelers have four at Heinz Field), it will be more difficult to keep players at least six feet apart while indoors. (For some teams, close proximity to school rooms is already a problem.) The league remains confident, however, that the transmission of the virus will be much harder to achieve when practicing or playing, given that these activities will take place outdoors as well as in – ventilated domes as facilities with high roofs.
Testing is also improving, with point of care tests recently introduced to supplement off-site testing, which takes longer to generate a result. Although the availability of reagent material can be a factor (especially if the virus continues to spread), the league remains confident that it can perform as many tests as necessary.
Will there be glitches? Yes. Will some players be prevented from playing or practicing despite no symptoms? Absolutely. Will it be enough to end the season or lose games? Today, five weeks from the first Sunday of the season, the league does not believe that.
Others involved in the process feel differently. Some are concerned that the protocols are more about optics than safety, intended to provide the league office with coverage in the event that a player, coach, staff member, if one of their family members becomes infected, becomes seriously ill, and possibly dies. Right or wrong, the people who run the league remain confident that it will work.
That may be hard for many to accept when the fall college season of football turns around, but pro football has important and fundamental differences that point to success, even if college football cannot pull it off.
However, time will tell. In 32 days, the first game will be played, when the Texans visit the Chiefs. In 35 days, a bunch of other games will be played. After the first wave of games, if there is no spike in positive testing that removes rosters or position groups or parties of coaching staff, it might work.
