The NFL released its regular-season schedule for 2020, but it’s anyone’s guess as to whether it actually begins on time in September – or even spans 17 weeks like it’s supposed to. The coronavirus pandemic has put everything on hold, including the current seasons in the NBA, NHL and MLB.
The NFL could be the latest league forced to alter its season, though we’re still about four months out from the start of the 2020 campaign. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was asked Friday whether he thinks it’s safe for the NFL to play this fall, and while he’s hopeful that will happen, he also acknowledged the other problems and concerns currently in our country.
“Sports is always something that’s brought people together,” Rodgers said on a conference call with reporters. “You see on networks like ESPN with the Michael Jordan documentary. People are looking for something to bring us together. I’m very hopeful that we can have a season, but it’s important to think about the state of the country and the fact that there are 36 million people unemployed right now. … There’s a lot of problems going on with the country right now associated with the fear of this pandemic and I hope we can use some common sense moving forward and make decisions based on the best interests and I hope sports is a part of that.”
The NFL hasn’t instituted any contingency plans or secondary schedules in the event that games are impacted this fall, but one can assume the league is working on such blueprints just in case. One possibility is playing games in empty stadiums with no fans, which would prevent large crowds from gathering and hopefully continuing to flatten the curve.
Rodgers hasn’t let his mind wander that far, though, and has not yet thought about what that’d be like.
What would it be like to play with no fans this season?
Aaron Rodgers: "I haven't let my mind go there… I hope that's not the reality." #Packers fans obviously play a huge factor during these games.
— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) May 15, 2020
For now, teams are unable to practice and work out at their respective facilities, leading to an all-virtual offseason program for all 32 clubs. Rodgers has been working out at home like hundreds of other players across the league, saying, “luckily I’ve got a lot of workout gear at the house so I’ve been able to work out at my house for a while.”
As far as actual football work at home, he compared it to “a kid throwing the football at the park.” He did say he’s been working out with a small group of players in California, though.