Roger Goodell Reportedly Quells Concerns About NFL Season Delay on Conference Call
By Jerry Trotta
Football fans were treated to some concerning news on Thursday morning when the NFL announced the cancellation of this year's Hall of Fame Game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys, which was scheduled to take place on Aug. 6, because of the latest coronavirus spike.
As a response, the league held a conference call with all 32 owners, in which commissioner Roger Goodell had a reassuring take amid the growing fears of COVID-19.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on a conference call says the plan is start training camp on time and “get ready for games at our stadiums and to engage our fans both in stadiums and through our media partners.” Talks ongoing with NFLPA to decide the specifics.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 25, 2020
The NFL planning to move forward with games at stadiums is extremely encouraging as the latest developments regarding the pandemic have forced many analysts and fans to question if the 2020 season would start on time.
Just in the last week, there have been positive cases reported within the Cowboys, Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers organizations. You have to figure it will spread to other franchises before long.
The NFL has canceled the August 6 #Cowboys-#Steelers Hall of Fame game due to the COVID-19 pandemic, per @AdamSchefter. The two teams are now expected to play in the 2021 HOF game. The August 8 enshrinement ceremonies will also be postponed to next year.
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) June 25, 2020
The majority of teams are scheduled to report to training camp on July 28, but there has been no clear word of whether that will actually happen. Earlier this month, the NFL mandated that squads host camp at their respective facilities to help curb the spread of the virus.
Per Goodell, the particulars of the NFL's plan moving forward was discussed during Thursday's conference call, and fans are surely waiting with great anticipation for the details to be publicized. This specific statement from the commish, however, was a step in the right direction.