His suggestion for the San Francisco 49ers? How about State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals?
"Both teams have home games in Week Nine," wrote Florio, "but the 49ers play on Thursday night while the Cardinals play on Sunday. In Week 13, the Cardinals play on Sunday, but the 49ers play on Monday night. The two teams never have home games on the same day."
Cornerback Richard Sherman read Florio's article and doesn't sound against the idea of playing games in Arizona, especially if those games are played without fans in the stands, which is a real possibility. He might even save some money on income taxes if his employer, the 49ers, operates out of the neighboring state.
For the majority of the year, Sherman isn't even in California. He spends his offseason in the Seattle area, a fact he made clear when one fan suggested he might be taxed by California regardless of where he works for a portion of the year.
Of course, all of this is due to continued concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Even as other states start to ease restrictions, California officials aren't confident that the prospect of filling sports venues with tens of thousands of fans is a good idea. And they certainly don't think it will happen by September, when the NFL regular season is scheduled to kick off.
Even playing within stadiums without fans is being questioned.
"It's difficult for me and imagine what the league, broadly leagues, do when one or two of their key personnel or players are tested positive," California governor Gavin Newsom said this past week. "Do they quarantine the rest of the team if an offensive lineman is practicing with a defensive lineman, and they are tested positive? What happens to the rest of the line? What happens for the game coming up next weekend?"
The 49ers are looking into every possibility to be ready for anything. The team might even be willing to hold training camp outside of the state, should it be unable to hold practices at its Santa Clara-based facilities.
"You always have to be prepared for everything," general manager John Lynch recently told NBC Sports Bay Area. "And I think this pandemic that we're going through, there's so much unknown. It kind of changes day to day. So, yes, you have to prepare for everything. We're in great talks with our state and local officials, trying to learn as much as we can, but you have to prepare for everything, the unknowns."
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Report: 49ers have an interest in Alec Pierce and Romeo Doubs
The San Francisco 49ers are expected to explore wide receiver options this offseason, and according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the team has interest in both Alec Pierce and Romeo Doubs. San Francisco's wide receiver room could undergo significant changes this... -
49ers NFL Combine Watch: Offensive Line Risers and Fallers Shake Up Draft Boards
Day 4 of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine belonged to the big men in the trenches, and several offensive linemen used the spotlight to shift their draft stock dramatically. For teams like the San Francisco 49ers — who continue searching for long-term stability along the... -
49ers draft needs breakdown: Ranking San Francisco's biggest 2026 priorities
My family knows that once the season ends, I start looking toward the NFL draft. Correction: If the San Francisco 49ers are in the playoff hunt and beyond, I think of the season first, but even in October, I am also thinking about the draft. I am not a former player or draft... -
49ers expected to target Super Bowl-winning cornerback in free agency
Speculation surrounding the San Francisco 49ers' secondary intensified at the NFL Scouting Combine after Dan Graziano and Ben Solak of ESPN reported that the team could explore a trade involving starting cornerback Renardo Green. Graziano estimated there is an 80% chance the...