The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has continued to escalate and the NFL has already begun to feel its effects. The 2020 NFL Draft will be held virtually and training camp will more than likely be pushed out or cancelled.
For the Los Angeles Rams, the virus hit home as Brian Allen became the first NFL known player to contract COVID-19. While Allen is reportedly feeling better, this is another sign that the 2020 NFL season may be suspended as it can not in good conscience start knowing that players are at risk.
The Rams were set to debut the regular season at SoFi Stadium but if they do end up taking the field it will likely be without fans in attendance. Jared Goff talked about the possibility and how he would feel about it, via Rich Hammond of The Athletic:
“Not ideal,” Jared Goff told reporters this week in a video-conference interview. “Not what you want to do. I understand there are a lot of bigger implications in place, as far as health in the world. I know that’s not the vision we had in moving to L.A. and I know that’s not the vision Mr. Kroenke had, ultimately, but if that is what it is, then we have to roll with it.
“I don’t think it’s anything we want to do, but I’m preparing for full stadiums. Is that going to happen? I don’t know. I don’t know what the percentages are. I’m not a doctor. I’m not a scientist. Where will this progress? I don’t know. You guys don’t know. No one knows. So we’re going to see, in the next three or four months, and then find out.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom already publicly stated that he does not expect sporting events to have fans and it appears that is where things are heading given all the uncertainty. This is obviously unfortunate because Los Angeles was looking forward to making a splash, but the safety of fans and the team are of the utmost importance.
Playing games without fans in attendance would definitely be an adjustment for all involved as players are accustomed to playing with noise and the home team normally feeds off the energy of a crowd. However, there are really no other alternatives if the league is set on playing out the year despite the circumstances.
This is an unprecedented situation professional sports finds itself in and there is no telling what things will look like in the near future. For now, the only thing fans can do is wait and see what the next steps are.
