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The NFL is planning to cut the preseason down to just two games.
If the NFLPA has their way, there won’t be any preseason games in 2020.
On Thursday, the NFLPA Board of Representatives voted to recommend that the NFL not have any preseason game this year.
On Thursday night’s NFLPA call, the union’s board of reps voted unanimously to recommend that the NFL play no preseason games this year. It’s unclear whether the league, which has already decided to cut the preseason from four games to two, will consider the recommendation.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) July 3, 2020
They also discussed a potential preseason-less schedule leading up to Week 1 of the regular season.
With the NFLPA still opposed to preseason games, one possible camp schedule the union has discussed:
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 3, 2020
3 days: medical/equipment
21 days: strength & conditioning
10 days: unpadded practice
14 days: practice (10 max/8 padded)
Then it’d be straight into Week 1.
All of this is due to the coronavirus pandemic, which is threatening to delay or even cancel entire seasons for various sports. It would be unfortunate for the NFL to completely skip the 2020 preseason, especially for teams like the Bengals who are set to rely heavily on new players still waiting to get acclimated with their new teammates.
Still, if it’s too unsafe to not have preseason games, so be it. Personally, I think if it’s too unsafe to have preseason games, then it must be time to seriously consider delaying the start of the regular season.