The NFL has thus far shown a commitment to not putting its entire offseason on hold over the coronavirus pandemic, and that has become a great source of frustration and disgust for many team executives around the league.
The NBA, NHL and MLB have all put their seasons on hold, but the NFL has decided not to push back the start of the 2020 league year. Teams are free to begin negotiating with players at 12 p.m. EST on Monday, and free agents can sign contracts beginning on Wednesday. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, NFL executives are angry that the league has not made changes.
A glimpse of our world: With free agency on track for this week, some teams are planning to use private planes to fly in premier free agents. Still, those flights require pilots to leave home and work, and teams are not pleased about this. Teams NOT happy free agency this week.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2020
Jay Glazer of FOX Sports gathered the same feelings from teams, noting that not a single executive he has spoken with supports the decision to remain on schedule with free agency and the start of the new league year.
Haven’t spoken to a single team executive who believes NFL free agency should begin on time…. each stating various compelling reasons. Different times right now
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) March 16, 2020
The NFL can — and likely will — argue that all business related to free agency can be conducted remotely and without people needing to be in the same room together. Contracts can be agreed upon pending physicals, and the physicals could always be conducted at a later date. But even if there were no actual health risks associated with proceeding with free agency as scheduled, one NFL owner and two GMs told Peter King of NBC Sports that they believe conducting business as usual is terrible optics for the league.
“Tone deaf is right!” one GM told King. “The world has stopped. We’re in a national emergency as a country and we do this? It’s awful. We’re telling the rest of the world we don’t care. Can you imagine the reaction to some player signing a $60-million contract this week and that being in the headlines while thousands and thousands of people are losing their jobs because of this virus! It’s ridiculous.”
Obviously, there are far more important things going on in the world than the NFL offseason. However, some would argue that the NFL offseason will be a welcome escape as long as it does not pose a tangible health risk, which it may when you consider what Schefter said about teams using private planes and needing pilots, etc.
Whichever side you’re on, there’s no denying that the coronavirus outbreak has not put a stop to buzz about where the NFL’s best players might end up.
