***OFFICIAL*** NFL 2020 Season News Thread (COVID-19 Edition)

[dag54]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1281669201867018243

 

[dag54]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1281358608178044928

 

[dag54]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1281668903760879616

 

[dag54]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1281670485810372608

 

[dag54]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1281669679363260417

 

[dag54]

With multiple big issues pending, NFL and NFLPA to negotiate again Monday

The clock keeps ticking toward the start of training camp, if it's indeed going to start on July 28.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

The clock keeps ticking toward the start of training camp, if it’s indeed going to start on July 28. Aiding that process would be an agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association on all remaining issues. There are several.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the significant sticking points are listed below.

1. Testing: The NFLPA wants daily testing. The NFL continues to resist that approach. The source says that daily testing is a “big, big issue.”
2. Acclimation period: The NFLPA wants to gradually phase players in physically, given that there was no offseason program and limited opportunities for players to work out as they normally would. In 2011, when there was no offseason program due to the lockout, injuries spiked by 25 percent.
3. Preseason: The players want none, the NFL wants two. The players believe any preseason games present an enhanced physical risk by limiting the ability to gradually get players in shape. Preseason games also entail added risk of an outbreak that could derail the season, with limited financial gain given that no fans will be present for the game.
4. Emergency protocols: The two sides need to work out procedures that would be utilized in the event of an outbreak.
5. Opt outs: The rules regarding when and how a player would choose to not play this season remain unresolved.
6. Economics: The league has raised the idea of givebacks or escrow payments in order to defray expected financial losses. The players have not been receptive to any such reductions or limitations, given that if anything they have enhanced risk in 2020.
The league and the union are schedule to convene another bargaining session on Monday, with the goal of getting a final resolution by Wednesday or Thursday. Otherwise, the launch of training camp as scheduled will be in jeopardy.

 

[nc0gnet0]

6. Economics: The league has raised the idea of givebacks or escrow payments in order to defray expected financial losses. The players have not been receptive to any such reductions or limitations, given that if anything they have enhanced risk in 2020.

This will be the most interesting thing to watch play out. The players are not obligated to take a reduction in salary, provided they play a full schedule. However, it's a pay now, or pay later scenario, as the league can simply recoup its money next year (or spread it out over multiple years) as per the CBA.

With a projected cap drop of 40 mil (or more if games are dropped) there most likely be no cap increase in the years to come. Cash strapped teams that are up against the cap in 2021 are going to have the worst of it, while teams that still have significant cap space will most likely not be signing and big name FA still left on the market (sorry Jadeveon) allowing them to roll that cap into next year and absorb the blow.

I remained convinced that there will still be a 2020 NFL season, however, it could be a real shit show.

I think what the NFL is really positioning itself for is financial protection should the league start, and then be forced to shut down. This would open up a whole other can of worms contractually, which is even more grey than what they are dealign with atm.

 

[dag54]

NFL can impose pandemic protocols, NFLPA can challenge via grievance

The NFL and NFL Players Association currently are negotiating the various rules for football in a pandemic, but not because the pandemic gives rise to a duty to bargain.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

The NFL and NFL Players Association currently are negotiating the various rules for football in a pandemic, but not because the pandemic gives rise to a duty to bargain.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the NFL has full authority to implement any and all rules that the league deems to be appropriate for the 2020 season, given the ongoing spread of the coronavirus. The NFLPA would then have the ability to file an immediate grievance on the question of whether the league is providing a reasonably safe workplace.


If, for example, the league were to proceed with no testing at all, the players would have a good case for a finding that the league has failed to not provide a safe workplace.


A wildcat strike will not happen. Per the source, the NFLPA won’t be walking out, because doing so could trigger the ability by the league to pull the plug on the entire CBA. Given the event of the past four months, the league likely would rush to scrap the current labor deal.


The primary goal of the ongoing talks is to avoid a grievance. The league also needs to have the players buy in to the rules, and to commit to doing everything possible to stay safe. The players, if they choose not to be conscientious at work or at home, could cause the entire system to collapse. They need to believe in the rules and to be motivated to do everything required to keep everyone safe.


That’s likely the biggest reason why the league is working with the union. The league needs not only the NFLPA but its entire rank and file to commit to behavior that will avoid bringing the virus to the workplace and potentially causing the kind of outbreak that will shut the season down, possibly before it even starts.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

College football is looking at starting the season in January.

How the hell is that suppose to work in northern climates?

 

[Penny Traitor]

NFL officials expected to wear face coverings and gloves during 2020 season

NFL officials are likely going to give "facemask" a new meaning in 2020. NFLRA executive director Scott Green told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network that officials are expected to wear some kind of face coverings and gloves for the 2020 season to help prevent the potential spread of COVID-19. The average age of an NFL official is 53, and Pelissero notes that some are in the higher-risk category for the coronavirus.

Officials are in close contact with both players and coaches in the midst of a given game, and Green noted that testing is still something that also needs to be more firmly addressed. They are looking to get tested twice a week (once in their home city and once in the game city). Opt-outs are also being negotiated, per Pelissero.

Along with face coverings and gloves, officials may also implement the use of handheld electronic whistles, which does make sense when you consider the number of times an official puts a traditional whistle in their mouth and blows in it over the course of a game. Electronic whistles, in theory, do seem like a logical solution to help curb the potential spread of the virus. The practice of such a change, if the sound is at all different, will likely require a bit of a learning curve, however.

In a memo sent to the NFL by the NFLPA earlier last week that highlights some recommendations for the start of training camp and the preseason, they will encourage the use of face shields for players during camp. The NFLPA recommended a re-evaluation following field tests and player feedback prior to the regular season, but there's a chance that even players may look a bit different on the field in 2020 as well.

 

[Penny Traitor]

NFLPA sends NFL economic counterproposal to help curb potential financial losses in 2020

The NFL Players Association has sent a counterproposal to the NFL leading up to a call scheduled for Monday that is poised to address a number of outstanding issues including testing protocols and compensation, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Earlier last week, the NFL proposed 35% of player salaries to be held in escrow to help cushion the financial blow the league is anticipating in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That was met with tremendous criticism among players, and the latest counterproposal by the NFLPA suggests that no percentage of 2020 salaries is held in escrow. Instead, the NFLPA proposed a flat salary cap of $198.2 million in 2021 and to spread the 2020 revenue loss against the cap over the next decade (2022-30). This is all an attempt by the NFL and NFLPA to avoid a drastic drop in the salary cap for 2021. Under this latest counterproposal by the NFLPA, players wouldn't be burdened with the entire financial loss in one year and instead would cushion the blow over a longer timeframe.

The Players Association also campaigned for all fully guaranteed money to be paid even if games are canceled and the implementation of a "COVID-19 risk stipend" of up to $500,000 if games are canceled. Pelissero notes that the exact figure on that stipend would depend on when cancellation occurs along with other factors.

Payment for the players is just one of a number of topics that the NFL and NFLPA will need to hammer out on Monday's call. Earlier last week, the NFLPA sent a memo to the league with recommended approaches for how to handle training camp, including trimming rosters down to 80 players, daily testing for Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals, and limited fan attendance (maximum two events).

 

[TheWinman]

Say's CCS "Official" pessimist

for once he is actually correct.

 

[TheWinman]

So Cutler sat out the 2nd half of the NFC Championship with a torn MCL, and it took a couple of years to live that down.

Could you imagine the backlash from this? From fans and teammates alike.

Khalil Mack, "nah I'm good." And opting out the whole sesson.

Not a good comparison at all. Only idiots would be mad at a player for sitting out.

 

[dag54]

Sources: NFL, union expected to talk terms Mon.

The NFL and NFLPA management councils are expected to meet Monday in hopes of agreeing to terms on a return to work, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

Clarity is coming soon about whether NFL players will report to training camp and salvage a season.

Sources said the NFL and NFLPA management councils are expected to meet Monday in hopes of agreeing to terms on a return to work.

The players held a call Friday, during which leadership said it would have more answers early next week.

Negotiations and counterproposals between the league and players have been taking place frequently with training camp a little more than two weeks away.

• 
• Players want testing every day and no preseason games, while the league wants testing less frequently than the players (such as every other day) and two preseason games.

A source told ESPN that players and the league were close to agreeing to working conditions and that momentum for having at least some preseason action exists, with a one-game format also being discussed. The source added that players would likely get concessions as a result of preseason play.

But all that has not been finalized, and there are other issues to hash out.

• Acclimation period: Players want a slow ramp-up, from working out to taking the practice field, to avoid injuries and to get comfortable in the new working environment.
• Opt-out clauses for players: What happens to a player's contract if he decides to sit due to COVID-19 concerns, and does he get an accrued season?
• Whether trimming the 90-man training camp rosters to avoid unnecessary contact is the right thing.
• Equipment modifications: Players are lukewarm about wearing masks over their helmet bars, while the NFL has been working with Oakley on a yet-to-be-revealed design.
• Economics: How to share lost revenue, with players knowing they have to take a loss somewhere to offset the lack of fans in the stands, but with the league's offer to place 35% of salaries in escrow considered a non-starter.

Both sides want camp and want to play, so the goal is to get there and survive the probable initial wave of positive tests, then manage expectations from there.

"Get the 16 games on TV," a source told ESPN. "That's the main goal."

If there are fans in the stands, the league standard for all 32 teams would be for fans to wear face masks. The league is hoping teams can have fan days, with social distancing inside stadiums for training camp.

In the link there is a video of Jeremy being asked about negotiations. He said a source told him that everything should be wrapped up by Monday or Tuesday, which is what the nflpa told its members on Friday.

 

[truthbedamned]

How fucking hard is it to put a shield on every helmet? Not hard. Problem solved.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1281614285697945601

Replies are gold.

 

[Bearly]

Not a good comparison at all. Only idiots would be mad at a player for sitting out.

Just like with Cutler.
I know some don't think it's the red states fault for their current situation but lots of this sort of shit going on due to Fox and our fearful leader.

30-year-old dies after attending 'COVID party' thinking virus was a 'hoax'

A 30-year-old man died after attending a "COVID party," which people attended to see if the virus is real.

abcnews.go.com

Most that went to these sort of gatherings will be fine but how many more secondary, tertiary etc infections were spread due to this embraced ignorance?

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

If any football is played at all, there will be 12 games max.

 

[nc0gnet0]

Just like with Cutler.
I know some don't think it's the red states fault for their current situation but lots of this sort of shit going on due to Fox and our fearful leader.

30-year-old dies after attending 'COVID party' thinking virus was a 'hoax'

A 30-year-old man died after attending a "COVID party," which people attended to see if the virus is real.

abcnews.go.com

Most that went to these sort of gatherings will be fine but how many more secondary, tertiary etc infections were spread due to this embraced ignorance?

I like how you can arbitrarily single out one group based on political affiliation, yet totally ignore the fact that a particular age group has been especially ignorant in the whole matter. And lets not forget to mention that this particular age group has been proven to be overwhelmingly blue.

 

[bamainatlanta]

I like how you can arbitrarily single out one group based on political affiliation, yet totally ignore the fact that a particular age group has been especially ignorant in the whole matter. And lets not forget to mention that this particular age group has been proven to be overwhelmingly blue.

We need to be cautious but as Stanford and other non-political academics have pointed out that the true survival rate is probably around 99.8%, the virus will have to run its course. We can't stay inside forever but nor can we have concerts or sporting events with full attendance(or stupid ass political Trump rallies). But somehow protesting doesn't spread the virus! It just is what it is at this point. NY has 30k deaths as Texas has 3k deaths with a lot more population. But somehow Cuomo is seen as "acing" this pandemic. Clown world now