With the COVID-19 pandemic still in full swing, there is a chance the Jets do not take the field in 2020.
Although the NFL is moving toward re-opening team facilities in preparation for the upcoming season, there are still major questions about the league’s ability to play this Fall. According to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci, the NFL would have to emulate a “bubble” format similar to what the MLS and NBA have discussed in order to play in 2020.
“Unless players are essentially in a bubble — insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day — it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall,” Fauci told CNN. “If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year.”
NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills acknowledged Fauci’s comments and said the league is working toward addressing issues to mitigate health risks, but that is far from a guarantee that football will be a go come September. The same goes for playing a full season.
So, what would a canceled 2020 season mean for the Jets? Here are some ways New York *could* be impacted if Fauci’s concerns come to fruition.
Christopher Johnson’s final days running the show?
Even if football is played this Fall, Christopher Johnson’s days running the Jets could be numbered.
Woody Johnson’s term as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom is set to end at the end of 2020. Assuming he decides not to take on another term or if Donald Trump loses November’s presidential election, Johnson will return to the States full time and will likely reassume control of the team he bought in 2000.
This means that Christopher will likely return to a secondary role in the organization. It will be interesting to see how the transition goes, as Christopher endeared himself to the players throughout his tenure as CEO — especially in light of recent social and racial injustices in America. Either way, there is a chance Christopher’s time in the spotlight could be over once football returns.