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Just days after the league hosted its
first-ever virtual draft, with coaches, team representatives and
players all at home, the NFL is trying to be proactive when it
comes to schedule changes that might be needed during the
coronavirus pandemic.
According to the report, the opening slate of regular-season
games could be moved all the way back to Thursday, Oct. 15,
which is currently set as the start to Week 6. The Super Bowl in
Tampa, Fla., could be moved from Feb. 7 all the way back to Feb.
28.
"We've been in constant communication with the NFL and we're
totally focused on Feb. 7, 2021," Tampa Bay Sports Commission
executive director Rob Higgins told Sports Business Daily.
Also under consideration is the elimination of the bye week for
each team, skipping the Pro Bowl and the elimination of the
extra week between the NFC and AFC championship games.
According to the report, all Sundays in February are under
consideration for Super Bowl LV in order to adapt to whatever
schedule changes are needed.
Two early-season slates of games could be moved to back end of
the season, per the report. Another week reportedly could
feature matchups only of teams with the same bye week, so if bye
weeks are eliminated those contests could be made up with
minimal disruption.
The NFL schedule is expected to be released on May 9, though
Sports Business Daily reported that it likely will come with
caveats about potential changes.
"One thing I've learned about what we are going through as a
country is you can't tell a week from now much less three months
from now," commissioner Roger Goodell said last week on ABC's
"Good Morning America." "So, our job is to be ready. We will
obviously be ready to make alternatives."
--Field Level Media
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