Report: The NFL could start the season in mid-October
Did you really think the NFL was not paying attention to what was going on in the world and was all set to start their season on time? According to the SportsBusinessDaily.com, the NFL has a contingency play that includes a standard 16-game schedule, starting in mid-October and ending in late February with Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Fl.
The schedule is expected to be released in early May, with a normal 16-game, 17-week slate. Next season, when the new CBA comes into effect, the season would move towards a 17-game schedule.
The bottom line is nobody really knows where the country will be in a few months, so the NFL has to prepare for a full season, or a season that starts later, that may have some delays and one without a Pro Bowl. We can certainly live without a Pro Bowl, but what about a 12 or 14-game season? That would be tough, but that's what the NFL did in the 1982 season when the season was shortened to nine games due to a strike. In 1987, they played 15 games due to another strike. Maybe going back to a 14-game schedule would be logical, but what these teams do need is a chance to play each division team twice. Or else the playoffs could end up being a sham.
Will the NFL start the season on Sept. 10 with the NFL Kickoff Game, hosted by Kansas City? Hopefully, that will be the case, but if not, the league is prepared for contingency plans to get the season started and completed.
