The NFL is doing everything in its power to ensure that the 2020 season, in some form, takes place. If that means conceding to a few demands from the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), so be it. The alternative—no season—is a less-favorable option.
The NFL has finally agreed to daily testing when it wanted less frequent checks for the COVID-19 virus. The league has yielded to the NFLPA, saying now that it is okay with eliminating the preseason altogether after fighting to keep half or even just one weeks' worth of exhibition matchups.
Many are skeptical that the NFL can pull off a 16-game season. Some even doubt that Week 1's slate of games will be played. Something is likely to give with the pandemic showing no signs of slowing.
Those doubters include Peter King of NBC Sports.
"There are 10 teams in hot-spot states Florida, Georgia, Texas, Arizona and California," King wrote on Monday in his Football Morning in America column. "The NFL is not playing in a bubble. The chances that none of those teams will be ravaged by COVID-19 seems far-fetched. I hope I am wrong, but I doubt it."
So, what happens if the NFL finally gets to September and Week 1 of the regular season and something goes wrong after that? How hard will the league fight to keep moving forward even with obstacles or pressure from players?
"No one knows," San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman told King over the weekend. "But I feel like the way this league runs, if this season starts, they'll fight tooth and nail to finish."
Sherman and other NFL stars campaigned via social media over the weekend for the NFL to take safety recommendations more seriously. As mentioned, the league seems to have conceded on at least a couple of those issues.
The NFL has ignored the safety recommendations from the experts that THEY hired. We all love this game and want to go out and compete with our brothers. The NFL needs to provide a safe work environment for us to do that. #WeWantToPlay
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) July 19, 2020
We'll have to wait and see if the NFL is as forthcoming once things get started—if they get started. Sherman doesn't seem to believe a course change will be as easy once things are in full motion.
"At the end of the day, football is football," Sherman said in June. "No matter how much you keep 90 guys away from each other, they'll run into each other. They'll play football, at some point or another. It will be what it's going to be."