Report: NFL Willing To Push Super Bowl Back Weeks Or Months If Coronavirus Delays Season
BOSTON (CBS) -- During normal times, every single aspect of the NFL season -- from Day 1 until Super Sunday -- is planned with meticulous detail, with little to no room for flexibility. These, however, are not normal times.
As such, despite the schedule release for all 32 teams on Thursday night, the NFL is prepared to move things around if (and when) the coronavirus pandemic forces changes to be made. And that includes pushing the Super Bowl back by several weeks ... or even months.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Super Bowl LV -- scheduled for Feb. 7 in Tampa, Florida -- "could be pushed back by weeks or even a couple of months, potentially, while not having to make significant matchup changes to the regular-season schedule. The option of the Super Bowl being moved back provides the NFL with the flexibility it needs, though it is not in the league's plans today, and it prefers not to have any discussion about it."
Schefter also noted that all teams have the same bye week as their Week 2 opponents, which could come in handy in terms of rescheduling the early part of the season. Additionally, if the season needed to be delayed by four weeks, those four games could be moved to the end of the season.
He also reported that it's possible for Weeks 1 and 2 to be made up at the end of the year, while Weeks 3 and 4 could be dropped altogether if a 14-game schedule was necessary.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that the league is prepared and capable of making any adjustments that become necessary. For the time being, though, the NFL is planning and hoping to run their 2020 schedule as planned.
