The NFL is in the middle of negotiating a deal with the NFLPA that would have the 2020 season starting on time and playing a full season.
Reporting out there would lead people to believe that the deal is close. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Friday that the two sides were nearly at the finish line with just over two weeks left to go until training camp.
The only two things that still need to be worked out are the number of preseason games that will be played — which is already down to two — and the testing protocols the league will have for the players, according to Rapoport’s report.
But Richard Sherman — who is an NFLPA Vice President and involved in the negotiations — is saying that is absolutely not true. And that a deal is not even close to being done.
In fact, Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones said the league has yet to address “major issues” regarding player health and safety despite camp being two weeks away.
Chief’s safety Tyrann Mathieu shared the same sentiment.
If what these players are saying is any indication, the deal isn’t exactly close to being done. And the issue of testing protocols seems to be a big hurdle that they haven’t come close to getting over yet.
Players are clearly concerned about their health, as they should be. Malcolm Jenkins, another NFLPA Vice President, said a few weeks ago that he was straight up uncomfortable with the league’s return. And that’s totally fair.
Jenkins isn’t the only player who is considering sitting the season out, either. Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson reports there are a number of NFL players with serious asthma concerns who are legitimately thinking of opting out of the season, including one of the league’s elite.
Clearly, there’s still plenty of work left to be done before anyone can confidently talk about the NFL’s return at this point. And the clock is ticking — there are just two weeks left.
Time will tell how this all plays out.
