COVID-19: Former NJ Gov. Richard Codey doesn't see a full MetLife Stadium for NFL games this fall

Former New Jersey governor Richard Codey doesn't see full NFL stadiums this fall at MetLife Stadiu

Former New Jersey Governor Richard Codey thinks that his state will open for sports and in particular the NFL. But it simply won’t look or sound like the league as usual, he says, at least not for the immediate future.

Earlier this week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) told reporters that he was ready to open the state for sports again, noting that competitive games likely won’t be played before crowds for the time being. This is a positive sign in light of the massive shutdown of sports and the economy in general due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other states, such as California and Florida have also signaled that they are ready to embrace the return of sports, even if it might be in empty arenas and stadiums. This week, New Jersey governor Phil Murphy, who is part of the ownership group behind the Sky Blue team in the NWSL, has said he wants to see the NFL return this fall. New Jersey is home to two NFL teams as well as the New Jersey Devils (NHL), the New York Red Bulls (MLS), the aforementioned Sky Blue as well as Rutgers athletics (Big Ten) and Seton Hall (Big East).

Saying that “Of course, I think the governor is getting there - he’s guarded,” Codey noted the positives of recent weeks as the coronavirus curve is being flattened. New Jersey was one of the hardest hit states with the virus. Its neighbor, New York and in particular New York City, was the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States.

Codey twice served as an interim governor, most notably over two years following the resignation of Jim McGreevy in 2004. During his time in elected office, he was impactful on the New Jersey sports scene as he paved the way for the building of MetLife Stadium at the Meadowlands and Red Bull Arena in Harrison.

When asked by SportsIllsutrated.com what the NFL season might look like in New Jersey since two teams, the New York Giants and the New York Jets both play at MetLife Stadium, Codey joked that no fans at preseason would be a blessing.

“That’s a tough one. You’re not going to see a full stadium, I’ll wager on that one real quick,” Codey told SportsIllustrated.com.

“You also to remember that you’re not going to let people in the stadium that are COVID. You have to take their temperature, no doubt about it. I’ll have to remember not to high-five too much. It’s going to be strange.

“I think most of the teams will be like that.” 

Codey is a season ticket holder for both the Jets and the Giants and is saddened at the possibility of missing live NFL games this fall – “I’m really in a malaise.” He knows intimately the lay of the land, having structured the deal that provided for the construction of the new stadium at the Meadowlands. He simply doesn’t see full stadiums this fall for any games in New Jersey.

He says in addition to his love for the NFL, he really is a huge college basketball fan. It will take time to return to normal and he outlined a possible scenario where you could see fans at games sitting every fourth seat and staggered so as to enforce social distancing. But he thinks in six months, the layout could be more favorable.

“I think it’s fair to think that come January, February we’ll be seeing a different environment,” Codey said.

“It’s not going to go back what it was last January, there will be sanitization stations all over the place and it’s all good. No issues with that at all. But it won’t be the same as it was for many years.”