The NFL is planning to release its full 17-week regular-season schedule late next week, according to a report from ESPN. That means no changes to the start date and a full slate of regular-season matchups, despite the country still being amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2020 NFL season is scheduled to begin on September 10 and conclude with Super Bowl LV on February 7, 2021. Whether or not fans will be in the stadiums for each of those games hasn't yet been determined.
There was a report that the NFL is looking to push its in-division matchups toward the latter portion of the schedule, allowing the league to eliminate earlier games, if necessary.
ESPN notes that the option of gathering players at a centralized location to conduct a season is not being viewed as a viable option.
For now, team facilities, like the San Francisco 49ers' headquarters in Santa Clara, remain closed with no immediate plans to reopen. Bay Area counties, including Santa Clara Country, have extended stay-at-home orders until the end of May.
Players have started some virtual offseason activities using video conference software and have been studying their playbook installations from home via iPads and other mobile devices.
Team facilities across the league will remain closed until every organization across the NFL is allowed to reopen in compliance with local mandates.
H/t to Patrick Tulini for the find.