The Pro Football Hall of Fame was slated to induct the Class of 2020 in August, but contingency planning has become necessary for that.
The plan remains to hold the enshrinement ceremony in Canton on August 6-9 with fans in attendance, as scheduled. However, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, various contingencies are on the table. That includes pushing the ceremony to next spring, or possibly even inducting the classes of 2020 and 2021 at the same time next August. A virtual induction ceremony is not considered likely.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Plan A is still to hold enshrinement weekend Aug. 6-9 with fans on hand. But contingency plans include a 2-3 week delay, rescheduling for mid-September and moving everything to 2021. A "virtual" enshrinement is unlikely. @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/wIq9DPhM3g
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 10, 2020
It’s easy to see why caution would be exercised here. One inductee, Jimmy Johnson, is 76 years old, and could be at risk of more serious illness due to his age.
The 2020 class as a whole may have to wait a bit longer than usual to be inducted. Ultimately, a lot depends on how things progress within the next month or two.
