Report: NFL Teams Not Expecting to Report to Training Camp Before July 28

With the COVID-19 pandemic potentially altering the NFL's schedule, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that "multiple clubs are proceeding as if players won't report to camp early." 

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported earlier this month that the NFL's new collective bargaining agreement laid out July 28 as the date for the vast majority teams to have players arrive for training camp. According to Rapoport, the date remains the same, but some issues remain to be resolved.

The NFL was into its offseason when the spread of the pandemic began reaching concerning levels in the United States. As a result, the league has been able to conduct most of its business, albeit remotely.

Teams were unable to conduct their typical pre-draft preparations or meet with free agents in person, but the draft and free agency have unfolded with few hiccups. The league also unveiled a full regular-season schedule that's set to kick off on Sept. 10.

With states having eased coronavirus-related restrictions, though, the pandemic is once again trending upward in the U.S. That's leading many to question whether the NFL and college football seasons could be adversely impacted.

In his report, Schefter said the NFL and NFL Players Association were discussing the possible elimination of preseason games, which would allow players to instead ramp up their training ahead of the regular season.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN that the NFL may need to isolate players in a bubble-like atmosphere in order to stage a 2020 season.