COVID-19 and the NFL: Gary Myers & Seth Everett discuss sports in the era of coronavirus

A podcast discussion featuring Gary Myers on the impact of the coronavirus on the NFL

The latest podcast between SportsIllustrated’s Seth Everett and Gary Myers, the manager of Sports Illustrated’s NFL team sites, is about the NFL’s place in the world.  The coronavirus has impacted everyone and the NFL appears to be the only sport able to proceed with their off-season schedule.   

Is that wise? One thing for certain, the NFL has our attention now more than ever. 

The league announced Monday that the NFL Draft will go on as scheduled, but will no longer be held in Las Vegas and will be televised.  Details are still to come, but as noted in the podcast, the NFL news has and will continue to dominate the sports headlines with no basketball, baseball, or hockey going on.  News has trickled in and free agency starts officially on Wednesday. 

In addition to his work here at SI, Myers has been covering the NFL since 1978 and appears regularly on WFAN in New York. He was also an analyst on the YES Network’s This Week in Football. 

Listen to the latest podcast here:  Gary Myers joins Seth Everett to discuss coronavirus and the NFL

 

To contextualize, here is the updated NFL calendar of events, subject to change as much as everything in sports is at the present time:  

March 16 - Deadline for clubs to designate franchise or transition players before 11:59 a.m. EDT.  

March 18 - Free agency, trading periods begin, 4 p.m. EDT.  

April 17 - Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.  

April 23-25 - NFL draft (no longer held in Las Vegas).  

May 19 - Spring owners meeting, Marina del Rey, California.  

Late July - Training camps open.  

Aug. 6 - Hall of Fame game, Canton, Ohio.  

Aug. 8 - Hall of Fame inductions, Canton, Ohio.  

Sept. 5 - Final roster cutdown to 53.  

Sept. 10 - Kickoff game to open regular season.  

Sept. 13 - First full regular-season schedule.