NFL Reportedly 'Very Likely' to Play 1 Preseason Game After NFLPA Negotiations

The NFL's preseason will "very likely" be shortened to one game following negotiations with the NFL Players Association, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk:

"A league source tells PFT that one preseason game is currently the 'very likely' outcome to the negotiations aimed at getting the various rules resolved before camps open. Ideally, the games would consist of minimal travel (e.g., Jets vs. Giants, Chargers vs. Rams, Ravens vs. TBD), with the goal of having all games proceed with no teams flying."

ESPN's Kevin Seifert had reported on July 1 that the league planned to cut the preseason to two games to allow for a longer "acclimatization plan" for players amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced teams to undergo a virtual offseason thus far.

However, the NFLPA has questioned the NFL's rationale for having any preseason games, per NFLPA President and Cleveland Browns offensive lineman JC Tretter in a letter released on the NFLPA website.

He wrote the following, in part:

"The NFL has recently stated it wants to play two preseason games.

"When we asked for a medical reason to play games that don’t count in the standings during an ongoing pandemic, the NFL failed to provide one. The league did provide a football reason, though -- to evaluate rosters. The NFL also stated that it was important to stage preseason games to check how our game protocols will work."

The NFL previously canceled its annual Hall of Fame Game, which was scheduled for Aug. 6 between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers.

The NFL has had four preseason games to lead into its regular-season schedule since 1978. Before then, six preseason games was the norm. The league cut the preseason slate by two when it increased its regular-season ledger from 14 to 16 games.

One preseason game appears to be on the horizon now, however, as the league looks to hold its 2020 season in the midst of a pandemic that has caused over 3.4 million confirmed cases and over 135,800 deaths in the United States, per the World Health Organization.