NFL kicks off season during covid-19 Pandemic
By:Michael Limon
El Rodeo Staff Writer
El Rodeo Staff Writer
The NFL season kicked off on Thursday, September 10th, with the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs beating the Texans. On Sunday 26 football teams took the field. The other 4 teams would take the field for their Monday night football games. Many had concerns about whether or not the season would be canceled due to the pandemic. The NFL decided to allow the season to happen but this season looks very different compared to others. NFL fans across the country are wondering whether they will be able to attend games once the 2020 season starts. The answer is it depends on where and when. Guidelines vary from state to state regarding the coronavirus pandemic. Some teams have announced they will proceed with limited capacities, while others have said they will progress with no fans. The Bills announced Aug. 25 that no fans will be permitted in the stadium for the team's first two regular-season home games, against the New York Jets (Sept. 13) and against the Los Angeles Rams (Sept. 27). The Dolphins are allowing fans -- a maximum of 13,000 or 20% capacity -- for their Sept. 20 home opener against Buffalo. All fans will be required to wear masks along with several other guidelines including socially distanced seat clusters, touchless entry, food ordering, and timed fan entry, there is also no smoking or tailgating. The Colts are seating a maximum of 2,500 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium for their home opener on Sept. 20 against the Minnesota Vikings. The NFL on Monday reminded team personnel on the sidelines about the COVID-19 requirements for wearing face coverings, saying such carelessness or disregard could put the season “at risk.” There were several games Sunday in which team members other than players did not use face coverings. Troy Vincent, who oversees the league’s football operations, sent a memo to the 32 clubs, “Failure to adhere to this requirement will result in accountability measures being imposed against offending individuals and/or clubs,” the memo said. “The face-covering must be worn as designed so that it securely fits across the wearer’s nose and mouth to prevent the transmission of the virus.”Punishment for not adhering to the protocols has not been announced but could include anything from fines to ejection from the sideline. During the Sunday night game between Dallas and Los Angeles, Rams coach Sean McVay often was shown on camera without a face covering. He hardly was the only coach or team member with a bare face during the 13 games Sunday.
Aside from the new rules due to the pandemic there are many others. The regular season is 17 games long now. The NFL switched to a 16-game schedule in 1978 and kept that total for over four decades. Now, the league is jamming another game into the mix, although that won’t happen until at least the 2021 season. The reasoning isn’t hard to grasp. There are more profits to be had in everything from ticket sales to television deals. The negatives are obvious too. Players already endure injuries during their grueling schedule. More games will inevitably mean more damage. The playoffs will expand from 12 teams to 14. A third wild card berth will be added to each conference, expanding the postseason field to 14 teams. That change will begin in 2020. Three games will be played on Saturday and three will be played on Sunday during Wild Card Weekend. Roster sizes are increasing, including the practice squad, as a tradeoff for adding another week to the regular season and two more playoff games, the NFL will increase roster sizes. The active roster will expand from 53 to 55 and the practice squad will grow from 12 players to 14. Players will get 48 percent of revenue share. It doesn’t affect the game itself much, but the revenue share is the crux of every CBA negotiation between the NFL and NFLPA. It’s a multi-billion dollar company and just a couple percentage points constitute huge sums of money.
Players will get raises and fewer finesThe increases for players are very specific. A sampling:
The rapidly increasing minimum salary is probably the biggest positive of the agreement for the players’ side.
The NFL’s will not be as strict with marijuana punishments.
Plenty has changed since the last CBA was agreed upon in 2011. Several states have legalized or decriminalized personal use of marijuana, quickly antiquating the league’s harsh punishments for the drug. Now there will be significantly less testing for marijuana, much higher amount allowed (from a limit 35 nanograms to 150), and no suspensions for players who test positive.
Lastly, Rookie contracts will increase for players who outplay them.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes earned MVP honors in his second season and was named Super Bowl MVP after his third.
Mahomes clearly outplayed his rookie contract by a mile, but under the old CBA that didn’t mean much. Now, players who excel early in their careers will get a significant bonus.
If a player makes the Pro Bowl twice in their first three seasons, their fifth-year option will spike to the price of the franchise tag.
Not only will that mean more money for those players, but it could also mean an earlier escape to free agency if a team is unwilling to open up the pocketbooks for a lofty extension. Despite the pandemic having a negative effect around the world, the NFL will give fans excitement throughout the week with games every Monday, Thursday, and Sunday.
Aside from the new rules due to the pandemic there are many others. The regular season is 17 games long now. The NFL switched to a 16-game schedule in 1978 and kept that total for over four decades. Now, the league is jamming another game into the mix, although that won’t happen until at least the 2021 season. The reasoning isn’t hard to grasp. There are more profits to be had in everything from ticket sales to television deals. The negatives are obvious too. Players already endure injuries during their grueling schedule. More games will inevitably mean more damage. The playoffs will expand from 12 teams to 14. A third wild card berth will be added to each conference, expanding the postseason field to 14 teams. That change will begin in 2020. Three games will be played on Saturday and three will be played on Sunday during Wild Card Weekend. Roster sizes are increasing, including the practice squad, as a tradeoff for adding another week to the regular season and two more playoff games, the NFL will increase roster sizes. The active roster will expand from 53 to 55 and the practice squad will grow from 12 players to 14. Players will get 48 percent of revenue share. It doesn’t affect the game itself much, but the revenue share is the crux of every CBA negotiation between the NFL and NFLPA. It’s a multi-billion dollar company and just a couple percentage points constitute huge sums of money.
Players will get raises and fewer finesThe increases for players are very specific. A sampling:
- $100K increase in 2020 for rookie minimums, another $50K increase in 2021, and then $45K increase each year after
- At least $90K increase in 2020 for other minimum salaried players; $80K to $105K increase in 2021 and then $45K increase each year after
- Raises for practice squad players
- Performance-based pay pool increased
The rapidly increasing minimum salary is probably the biggest positive of the agreement for the players’ side.
The NFL’s will not be as strict with marijuana punishments.
Plenty has changed since the last CBA was agreed upon in 2011. Several states have legalized or decriminalized personal use of marijuana, quickly antiquating the league’s harsh punishments for the drug. Now there will be significantly less testing for marijuana, much higher amount allowed (from a limit 35 nanograms to 150), and no suspensions for players who test positive.
Lastly, Rookie contracts will increase for players who outplay them.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes earned MVP honors in his second season and was named Super Bowl MVP after his third.
Mahomes clearly outplayed his rookie contract by a mile, but under the old CBA that didn’t mean much. Now, players who excel early in their careers will get a significant bonus.
If a player makes the Pro Bowl twice in their first three seasons, their fifth-year option will spike to the price of the franchise tag.
Not only will that mean more money for those players, but it could also mean an earlier escape to free agency if a team is unwilling to open up the pocketbooks for a lofty extension. Despite the pandemic having a negative effect around the world, the NFL will give fans excitement throughout the week with games every Monday, Thursday, and Sunday.