The NFL season is more than five months away, but that hasn’t stopped anyone from thinking about whether the coronovirus pandemic could affect it.
Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said in an email to season ticket holders Monday that they expect to host a full season.
“While these circumstances are certainly fluid and evolving, we currently expect to host a full NFL season this year and are excited to get back on the field when appropriate, despite the cancellation of public access to the NFL draft in Las Vegas and the indefinite postponement of offseason programs throughout the League,” the Haslams said in the email, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “In the meantime, our coaches, personnel group and players remain hard at work to prepare for what we hope will be an exciting 2020 Browns season.”
The word “currently” is important. No one can guarantee anything right now, and it remains uncertain how (not whether) COVID-19 will further impact the NFL.
Voluntary offseason programs will not begin as scheduled next month, and it seems unlikely spring workouts will take place at all. Training camps are set to open in July.
The National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the National Hockey League all have had their seasons suspended, and the XFL canceled the rest of its season.