The NFL recently cancelled their annual spring meeting, an important event where rule changes get discussed among other orders of business, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time they announced those discussions would instead take place at a May 18-20th meeting in California, which had been expanded due to the cancellation.
Now that meeting is up in the air and the league is unsure if it will proceed, Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets. In follow-up tweets, Maske posted a letter that commissioner Roger Goodell sent to NFL staff that he obtained. “While there have been changes to the way we work and some of our plans, we have an unwavering commitment to upholding the NFL’s legacy and lifting the spirit of America,” Goodell wrote.
“We will get through these difficult days together and every one of you should be proud knowing that you have played an important role to help our world emerge stronger and more unified,” he continued. Goodell also said in his letter that the league would use April’s draft “to help support fans and those people impacted in our communities.”
There was initially a lot of talk about pushing the start of the league year and delaying free agency due to COVID-19, but that ended up getting avoided after the players’ union pushed back. If the May meeting does get scrapped, it’s entirely possible the owners will have to debate and vote on rule changes and other important agenda items for the 2020 season remotely.
Whens the draft, April 27-29 right
I believe so. They’ll probably just do it remotely. Maybe jus have the commish in an office announcing the picks.
Sad. The NFL draft has become a very cool event now it’s going to a like a fantasy draft all done online. The 1st round players don’t get to walk across the stage and have their big moment.
That 30 second walk on stage was probably the biggest NFL moment Josh Rosen will ever experience.
This all seems so pointless right now…..
Humans have a great capacity to adapt to change and we are certainly going to be challenged to do that now. The NFL will have to adapt too just like all other businesses. The XFL conducted their player draft by video conferencing and although the NFL has more teams they could do the same.
Very true @Jorge78, yet you keep posting, so you are obviously reading (as I am)so must be a good distraction for you from life.
No it doesn’t. People are anxious for things to go back to normal. NFL draft is apart of that for many, millions even.
Some people find normalcy in sports. Not everyone is a terribly afraid shut-in because of a beer virus.