NFL Reportedly Offers to Eliminate All Preseason Games for 2020 Season

The NFL is reportedly heading toward zero preseason games for the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  

On Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the league offered to skip on preseason games this year as it negotiates with the Players Association on health and safety protocols and how to proceed in what promises to be an unusual season during a pandemic.

The elimination of such preseason games that have no impact on the standings means there is less opportunity for players to transmit the virus among themselves as the season approaches.

George Atallah, who is the assistant executive director of external affairs for the NFLPA, explained the league did not "concede" on the issue but instead worked with the players to come to an agreement:

While preseason games are often listless, featuring major players going through the motions in limited action and vanilla play-calling with coaches hesitant to put anything of note on film, they do give those on the fringe of making the roster an opportunity to make a final impression before the season.

One NFL owner told Judy Battista of NFL.com "we can manage" when asked about roster evaluation without preseason games.

This is one of a number of topics the league and players discussed Monday as they work toward final agreements.

Battista reported players will be tested for COVID-19 every day for the first two weeks of training camp, which starts for the entire league July 28. From there, the rate of positive tests will be used to make a determination. If that rate is below 5 percent, testing will move to every other day.

The league will also utilize contact tracing via proximity recording devices.

A desire for frequent testing was a major sticking point for players, many of whom took to Twitter on Sunday to campaign for clearly defined health and safety measures.

The NFLPA released a statement addressing the COVID-19 testing agreement:

What's more, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the league offered its players an acclimation period of seven to 18 days when they arrive at training camp and an opt-out for those who preferred it. 

Prior to sharing news of the offer for no preseason games, Schefter cited a league source who said the two sides were "getting closer on most if not all issues."