Covid-19’s Effect on the NFL

Covid-19’s Effect on the NFL

Elizabeth Whitman

Even with the threat of Covid-19, the National Football League (NFL) decided to open up and start football this season with strict guidelines and punishments for breaking those guidelines. Some of these rules include wearing masks, getting tested often, social distancing, and more. The NFL believed it was necessary to stress the importance of these safe habits and they wanted everyone involved to participate in them. They also said that the penalty for breaking their guidelines can include loss of draft picks or forfeiture of a game. Unfortunately, even with these rules and consequences in place, some players have contracted the virus. The first team to have an outbreak of Covid-19 was the Tennessee Titans, which caused some of their games to get postponed or rescheduled. Then, positive cases started to come up in other teams such as the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs. Also, players can be placed on the Reserve/Covid-19 list. This list is for players who have either tested positive or have been in close contact with an infected person. Some teams that have placed players on this list include the Las Vegas Raiders, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Philadelphia Eagles. 

All of this has affected the scheduling of many games and there is no telling how many future games will be impacted, as well. Multiple games have been moved to later in the season. For example, the New York Jets at the Los Angeles Chargers game has been moved from Week 6 to Week 11 and the Los Angeles Chargers at the Miami Dolphins game was moved from Week 7 to Week 10. Also, some games, such as the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Los Angeles Chargers and the Los Angeles Chargers at the Denver Broncos, got moved from later weeks to earlier ones. Additionally, on Tuesday, October 13th, the Buffalo Bills played against and lost to the Tennessee Titans. This was the second NFL game played on a Tuesday in the past 70 years. The schedule of the games is constantly being moved around, which can be very frustrating for the fans. But the safety of the players, coaches, and others who are in that environment is what is most important, so fans just have to hope for the best in terms of the future of this season.