The NFL remains hopeful that there will be a full 16-game season this year despite the worsening COVID-19 pandemic. Now, another governor has come out expressing concern for the upcoming season.
Just a few days after President Donald Trump told Roger Goodell that the 2020 NFL season should start as planned, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf expressed uncertainty at that possibility.
“I think it’s too early to call what happens in the fall. As for what happens in the winter sports season, unfortunately, every sport, professional and non-professional sport, amateur sports, have closed down, and I think Pennsylvania needs to follow suit on that,” Wolf said, via The Patriot-News. “We need to stay safe again. Our first priority is to keep people safe.”
Wolf’s uncertainty for the NFL season to start on time came after California Governor Gavin Newsom cast even more doubt upon football returning to California by September.
Government officials aren’t alone in their skepticism in the NFL returning on schedule. An NFL player recently expressed concern for their health if the season starts on time. Furthermore, multiple team executives and head coaches have privately indicated they expect the 2020 season to be delayed.
The NFL announced that it would need widespread COVID-19 testing before a potential season could start, but league officials are still sticking to their planned schedule. If the season was canceled, the financial consequences would reportedly be crushing for players.
There is still time for the COVID-19 pandemic to improve, with advances in testing and more people getting healthy. However, there also seems to be a real possibility that the 2020 NFL season could be very different than fans are used to and that’s if we even have a season.