Cleveland Browns: Why NFL season could work amidst COVID-19

Don’t worry, there is still hope for a Cleveland Browns season

The chances of an NFL season are looking grimmer and grimmer by the day. With rumors that the BIG10 is ready to pull the plug on their fall sports season, the Cleveland Browns and the NFL could be looking at more delays or even the possibility of a cancelation of the 2020 season. With roughly 70 players opting out of the 2020 season already, there is a real fear of the virus by some players in the league.

Rumors have been popping up the last 24 hours that the BIG10 expected to be the first of many major conferences to defer football to the spring.  With that news, is it feasible for the NFL to have a season? There are a couple of strong reasons as to why the answer to that question is yes.

One – these are professional athletes.

Although collegiate athletes may not focus on the school portion of the experience, the NFL can focus on football while colleges must make sure the learning portion is still implemented. Being quarantined to a team facility is much easier to manage with pro athletes because of the schooling portion.

Two – while the risks are the same, a player’s union in the NFL will make things easier for once (weird, I know).

It would be impossible for the NCAA to get each University on board for certain safety protocols.  And while football is important, Universities are here for educating students. It’s tough to think they will be willing to take on the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak hitting a locker room and putting lives at risk. On the other hand, if the players union agrees to a proposal by the owners, the show can go on.

The “bubble” set up by the NBA appears to be the safest method moving forward, but unfortunately, that is just not possible in the NFL. The rosters are too big, and the rest time needed between games is too long for it to make any sense in the NFL. The MLB has had a few setbacks to start their season, but the league appears to be highly motivated to get through the World Series.

Why will the owners be willing to spend big bucks on testing and protocols to have the 2020 season in the fall? The answer is always the same…money. If the college football season is pushed to the spring, the NFL would capture viewing like none other and could split games to Saturday and Sunday to hit Super Bowl ratings on the 1 PM game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bill (Okay, that is too far, but you get the point).

No fans in the stands would be a revenue loss, but the TV deals would more than makeup for the losses. With the NFL players having a say, and so far, appearing willing to play, it still feels like there is a good chance of a 2020 season in the NFL.

However, I don’t look for there to be a college football champion until April or May which may be a best-case scenario. While everyone wants college football, there are likely too many hurdles to make it happen in the fall.