The NFL is taking preparatory measures so that the season can definitely be played to the end despite Corona. Now the team owners have agreed to an emergency plan.
This provides that the regular playing time can be shortened from 16 to 14 game days if the corona situation within the league does not improve. This was the result of a video meeting of those responsible on Tuesday.
Should there be an early playoff, 16 instead of 14 teams will reach the postseason. One additional space would then go to the NFC and one to the AFC.
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NFL boss Roger Goodell reiterated that the league was “determined” to complete its full regular season. “This decision is part of our contingency planning,” said Goodell.
Roethlisberger on Corona list
The concerns in the league are growing according to the latest test report. Accordingly, there has recently been a sharp increase in confirmed cases within the NFL. A total of 56 employees, including 15 players and 41 employees, tested positive between November 1st and 7th. That’s more than twice as much as any other week before.
So far, the high came from the week between September 27th and October 3rd. At that time, the corona outbreak at the Tennessee Titans in particular caused the high numbers and a mixed up game plan. Since then, however, the NFL has carried out all the games on schedule and is on schedule.
The league bosses had decided to isolate all high-risk close contacts for five days if they were suspected. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is currently not allowed to train with his team for five days and is on the corona list. Last week, Lions playmaker Matthew Stafford was out of touch with his teammates, but he ran into the game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday after the blackout.
Following the decision last summer not to play along the lines of the NBA in a bubble, the NFL has focused on preventing the infection from spreading. Your chief medical director Dr. Allen Sills said Tuesday that the challenge was “tougher” given the increasing spread of infections in the US. L.
More than 100,000 infections with corona were reported nationwide for seven consecutive days.
NFL rewards teams for dark-skinned coaches
In addition, at their meeting, after a ten-month discussion, the bosses decided to give dark-skinned coaches more opportunities for a job in the league.
They agreed to a plan that rewards teams for appointing dark-skinned head coaches or CEOs. In the future, teams will receive two third-round picks in the draft for this.
At the beginning of the 2020 season, the NFL had 28 white coaches and 30 white directors in 32 teams.
