NFL owners have approved a plan to expand the playoffs from 14 to 16 teams if meaningful regular-season games are lost to COVID-19 and cannot be made up with one extra week. The resolution -- approved yesterday -- would appear to minimize the possibility of an extended delay to the regular season or postseason, just three weeks after Packers President & CEO Mark Murphy said that the Super Bowl could be played as late as March. Owners reiterated their goal of completing the season in 17 weeks, on schedule, with the Super Bowl on Feb. 7. Under this resolution, the next step after adding an 18th week, if necessary, would be the expanded playoffs, which would not add weeks to the postseason schedule. Through nine weeks, the NFL is on schedule, but there is little flexibility should postponements arise in the final eight weeks. NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills believes that it is possible to prevent the spread inside facilities. Clubs that were in the so-called “intensive protocol” -- a new level of mitigation procedures that kick in once there is a new case inside a facility -- had a 50% reduction in high-risk contacts with infected personnel compared to those that were not. Teams want to avoid “high-risk” contacts if at all possible, because they come with a mandatory five-day absence (Ben Fischer, SBJ Unpacks).
RISING CASES: ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert noted yesterday's resolution "coincided with the release of a COVID-19 testing report that reflected the growing case counts around the country," as a "total of 56 employees, including 15 players and 41 staff members, returned confirmed positive tests between Nov. 1-7." That is "more than twice the total of any other period (26, from Sept. 27-Oct. 3)." After deciding last summer against operating in a bubble environment, the NFL has been "focused on preventing the spread of inevitable infections." Sills yesterday said that the "job is 'harder' amid rising community spread, but he did point out that a portion of the 41 staff members are team front-office employees who do not have contact with players or coaches" (ESPN.com, 11/10).
SUPER BOWL SPECTATORS: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated that the league "plans to have fans at Raymond James Stadium" for Super Bowl LV. In Tampa, Joey Knight notes the "size of the audience hasn’t been formally announced." But Goodell suggested that recent news of the development of a COVID-19 vaccine "could increase it." He said during yesterday's media teleconference, "If there are potential opportunities, whether there are vaccines, whether there are additional testing that we think would help make our fans attending the game safer, we are certainly considering that and we are actively considering that." Goodell added, "Our intent is to have as many fans at the Super Bowl as can be done safely" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 11/11).
