The NFL is going to attempt to play a regular season in 2020 despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in place. While the Bills will be part of that routine, the color analyst for the team’s radio broadcast will not.
Former player Eric Wood currently wears a few hats in the broadcast world, from his podcast, What’s Next with Eric Wood, to his college football duties covering the ACC for ESPN. But the Buffalo News reports that all of these duties don’t mix well with COVID-19.
Steve Tasker is evidently replacing Wood on the team’s radio broadcast for next season. That’s because Wood, who lives in his hometown of Louisville, won’t be allowed to travel due to coronavirus travel restrictions in place. Tasker will join play-by-play broadcaster John Murphy during game broadcasts.
When, and perhaps a much bigger word… if… COVID-19 travel restrictions allow it, Wood would re-join the team’s broadcast during the season.
Tasker previously worked as a national analyst for CBS Sports for 21 years because that came to an end after last season, which led to his current role: the full-time host on the team’s weekday radio and television show,One Bills Live.
Because of the strong COVID-19 protocols put in place by the NFL, such as daily testing of players among other precautions being taken, players and coaches are allowed to travel from state-to-state for games. Broadcasters do not fall under this category, however, they’re not scheduled to travel with the team early in the season, either.
It was reported earlier this offseason that the Bills’ radio broadcast would do their jobs from the team’s facility in Orchard Park, even when the team travels. Even so, Wood wouldn’t be in a position to travel back-and-forth consistently to do so because of current New York State restrictions. Keeping broadcasters doing their jobs at home is a tactic that Major League Baseball first put in place during their regular season.
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