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NFL plans early May schedule release, on-time season start

The NFL thinks its season will start on time. We break down the league’s latest comments.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The sports world has mostly come to a screeching halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the NFL is one of the few leagues continuing forward. The league is out of season, so there is no worry about missed games, but as we all know, the offseason can create as much news as the regular season.

The NFL Draft is less than four weeks away, and now the league is planning out its schedule announcement. The full regular season schedule is usually announced a week or so before the Draft, but this year, the league is looking at an early May release. The NFL informed national media the schedule will be released around, but no later than May 9th.

NFL owners held a conference call on Tuesday in lieu of normal annual meetings, and the call included a discussion about Covid-19 and the plans for the fall. The league’s general counsel Jeff Pash said the league is planning for a full season in front of fans

During a conference call with reporters held on Tuesday, NFL general counsel Jeff Pash said the league is planning for a full season and feels “pretty confident” they’ll be able to start on time, per Albert Breer.

The NFL can’t dictate the timeline of the virus and what might happen around the country, but they likely want to reassure their advertising and television partners as much as anybody else. There are mixed opinions from medical professionals, so the league will continue taking this day-to-day.