NFLPA tells players there will be no preseason games in 2020

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The NFL Players Association on Tuesday told its players there will be zero preseason games in 2020, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Tom Pelissero and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.

Union leadership shared this information with its players during a conference call one day after the league proposed a one-game preseason slate to the union, then followed that up later Monday with an adjusted offer that included zero preseason games. The NFL and NFLPA previously had been split on a preseason slate, with the league sticking to a desire to play half of a typical four-game preseason schedule before acquiescing this week.

The NFLPA also told its membership it is still pushing for a longer ramp-up period for players to physically acclimate to the training-camp demands of professional football, and it expects rosters to stand at 80 players per team. The NFL has not yet signed off on an 80-man roster for training camp, per Pelissero, and though there was a discussion on giving teams an option to divide the roster (i.e., 80 active and 10 on standby), the union told players it wanted all teams to follow one rule.

The union said it has a general agreement with the league on voluntary and high-risk opt-out possibilities, and another general agreement on a compensatory stipend in the event games are lost due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The main economics still need to be hashed out between the two sides, and the details for the general agreements also need to be finalized, but the two sides have agreed on the concept.

https://www.nfl.com/news/nflpa-tells-players-there-will-be-no-preseason-games-in-2020

[underpants]

1. "There's no social distancing on fourth and 1"

I heard that on sports radio the other day. Local show.

I don’t see how they are going to pull this off. Tampa is going to be the real test -apparently the best strip clubs. I heard Michael Robinson (from Richmond) tell the story of one of his Seahawks teammates not showing up until the second quarter in a game in Tampa.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

2. I just don't see how they'll have a season.

Unless there's a vaccine, or the cases drop DRAMATICALLY because all Americans actually cooperate to quash the virus, it seems very improbable given how the game is played.

They'd otherwise need to convert the helmets into powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR), somehow.

Or like the full-mask N100 respirators that have exhalation valves. (As long as all of the players wear them, the exhalation valves should be a non-issue.)

[calguy]

3. They won't cancel the season until the last possible moment

I can't blame them. There's an aweful lot at stake. College conferences have already cancelled non conference games. In the end I don't think there will be a season. America loves its football and they will do everything they can to make it happen. Once the virus starts spreading in training camps they'll probably be forced to pull the plug.