The NFL and NFL Players Association are at odds over several key issues for the 2020 season, and there is a belief among some around the league that the season could be canceled altogether.
Maybe.
ESPN’s Trey Wingo said on Sunday that he received text messages from “several prominent NFL players” who believe there is only a 50-60 percent chance the 2020 season will be played.
In texts from several prominent NFL players today right now they’re putting the odds of the season at 50-60%. Many of them are saying less confident now than they were two weeks ago. Posturing? Maybe but they clearly feel their concerns aren’t being heard
— trey wingo (@wingoz) July 19, 2020
As Wingo noted, that is likely nothing more than posturing from the players. It’s hardly a coincidence that the texts came on the same day NFL stars made a coordinated effort to put pressure on the league by venting about the negotiations on Twitter.
Training camp is set to begin on July 28 for most of the league. One of the biggest issues seems to be that health experts are recommending NFL teams not allow contact at practices until the end of August, which would mean eliminating preseason games entirely if the regular season is going to start on time. The owners seem to want to salvage two preseason games, while players almost certainly do not want to play exhibition games.
If MLB is still having a season after the ugly dispute that took place between the league and union, there’s no reason to think the NFL won’t figure it out. The amount of preparation time players are going to have to get ready for the season seems to be the biggest point of contention between the NFL and NFLPA.
