Concerns were rising steadily for weeks about whether the NFL could actually start their season on time as the league has routinely declared they would. Several Chicago Bears players and many from other teams voiced displeasure over the league’s lack of a coherent plan for protecting them against the threat of contracting and spreading COVID-19.
This led to worries of whether the NFL and NFLPA could reach any sort of common ground on the structure of the training camps, the preseason, and the regular season itself. Pessimists have ventured the possibility games could be postponed or the season canceled outright. Would league owners follow the MLB example and get into a near-disastrous standoff with players?
It doesn’t appear that way. The two sides have remained in constant contact, working on solutions to the problem. According to Dan Graziano, a major hurdle was cleared with an agreement being reached on testing protocols. One where it will involve daily tests on every player. Something that wasn’t initially on the table.
Chicago Bears player testing will begin July 21st
It’s not a comfortable situation but it is major progress. The first players to receive their tests ahead of camp will be Bears rookies. They are set to report on Tuesday, the 21st. Quarterbacks and players recovering from injuries will follow two days later. The rest of the roster will arrive on the 28th as scheduled. If the timeline is right, practices will officially begin on August 1st.
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Word is the two sides are still trying to figure out what to do with the preseason. The NFL initially wanted two games. Players don’t want any. The league recently offered the idea of just one game, sort of using it as a dress rehearsal in the third week of the month. That remains to be determined. The players at least got what they wanted in the form of a long “ramp-up” period in training camp to help their bodies acclimate to so long without practices or contact.
As far as the financial windfall of minimal fan attendance? That is the biggest headache left to tackle. Still, the two sides have bought themselves time.
