The NFL is still months away from their September kickoff, but as the rest of the sports world has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many have wondered if football will be pushed back as well.
President Donald Trump apparently does not believe it will be.
Speaking on a conference call to the commissioners of all the major sports on Saturday, including Roger Goodell, Trump reportedly said he believes the NFL season "should" start as scheduled, according to ESPN.
As for the possibility of fans being in the stands, ESPN writes:
Trump also said he hopes to have fans back in stadiums and arenas by August and September, sources said, though it is currently unclear if medical experts find that to be a realistic timeline amid the current coronavirus pandemic.
While the season is still months away, this could certainly be viewed as a positive sign for those who are excited and waiting for Eagles football to return.
Although they are not in season, the NFL has already been impacted by the pandemic the world is currently dealing with. The pre-draft process has drastically changed, with no official visits allowed, and all team facilities shut down. The offseason program will likely be completely wiped out, with no OTAs or minicamps. Training camps, set to start at the end of July and run through August, could be in jeopardy as well, although Trump's belief the season could start in September could be an encouraging sign for a normal training camp.
Although it is unclear if the NBA, NHL or MLB would be willing to have games without fans, the report stating that Trump "hopes" to have fans back in arenas by August or September does not bode well for their chances of starting up before then.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
