NFL Has ‘Much More Work’ Left In Order to Reach Super Bowl
Successfully staging the Super Bowl in Tampa on February 7 is an increasingly difficult task, according to NFL personnel.
Despite some tumult in Weeks 3 through 6, the league seems to have navigated the Covid-19 minefield that is 2020.
However, the Fall and Winter second wave of the virus has hit the United States. Last week, a daily record of 184,000 new cases was reported. The total death toll stands at almost 400,000.
Indeed, the New York Times reported last week that the league had, for the first time, made contingencies for extending the regular season to an 18th week.
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Despite knowing it must be adaptable, the NFL is still determined to reach the Super Bowl on schedule. As well as that, commissioner Roger Goodell wants to allow as many fans as possible to attend.Â
“Whether there is a vaccine, whether there is additional testing then that we think would help make our fans attending the game safer, we are … actively considering that,” Goodell said Tuesday.
“But our intent … is to hold as many fans at the Super Bowl that can be done safely.”
“We expect this to get harder because those (coronavirus positivity) rates are going up and so that’s why we have to continue to evolve and improve our protocols as we go along to deal with that inevitable exposure,” said Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer.
“So there’s obviously much more work to be done,” he added.
Read: Aaron Rodgers Questions Protocol as NFL Ponders Season Expansion
“Our objective is for all teams to safely and responsibly complete the regular season within our 17-week schedule — and have a full postseason, culminating with the Super Bowl with fans in the stands on February 7th in Tampa,” Goodell said last week.
“We are committed to completing the season as scheduled.”
