With COVID-19 still sweeping headlines, there are still a handful of uncertainties with the 2020 season. However, progress has been made as NFL teams now know when they’re expected to get ready for the upcoming campaign.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, teams will open up training camps 47 days before their Week 1 season opener.
For the Chargers, that date will be July 28. 29 other teams will open up camp on the same date, while the Chiefs and Texans, the two teams playing in the season opener on Sept. 10, will begin on July 25.
“This makes the training camp reporting date more uniform across the league. It used to be much more scattered, with teams reporting on various days over a weeklong period,” Schefter reported.
“There even used to be business departments that would push teams to start camp on a Wednesday so they could schedule the first padded practice four days later on a weekend, so as to best appeal to fans.”
It remains to be seen if fans will be allowed to attend sessions. If they are granted access, it’s likely that the capacity will be limited and there will be protocols to help prevent and limit any potential infection or spread of COVID-19.
NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero also reported on Wednesday that the league and players’ union are discussing the possibility of shortening the 2020 preseason from four games to two games to allow for a longer “ramp-up” period.