Early in the pandemic, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that the league intends to play a “full” season, which means 256 regular-season games and 13 postseason games. Then, his language pivoted from “full” to “complete,” which arguably implies that the season will be completed with the playing of a Super Bowl, even if fewer than a full regular season is played (like in 1982 and 1987, due to strikes).
Now, he’s moving back to saying the NFL will get a full season in.
“We are confident we’re going to be able to play, not just the start of our season but through the remainder of our season to the Super Bowl,” Goodell told CNBC on Wednesday.
It’s a fair assessment, given the success that the NFL has enjoyed when it comes to dealing with the coronavirus. But things are about to change for the NFL, with teams shifting away from training-camp mode.
As one league source explained it to PFT on Wednesday, there’s concern that players may get complacent under the more relaxed rules of regular season, especially in light of the success that teams have experienced in avoiding outbreaks throughout the first month of practice. That’s why it’s critical for coaches, players, and everyone else connected to every team remain vigilant, especially once teams have less, not more, day-to-day access to players.