NFL Shortens Preseason Schedule to Two Games

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the NFL has decided to cancel half of their scheduled preseason games in 2020.

The NFL announced Wednesday afternoon that they would shorten its 2020 preseason to two games. 

The primary driver behind the decision was the understanding that players will need a longer period of time to get back into football shape, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. There will be about a three week acclimation period for teams between the start of training camps on July 28th until the first set of preseason games. 

Teams were unable to practice on the field at team facilities during the offseason. Additionally, many gyms and conditioning facilities have been closed so the players will need more time than normal to get back into football shape, thus pushing the start of the preseason back.

The first week of preseason games is scheduled for August 20th-24th, with the second week of games scheduled for August 27th-31th. The Chiefs and Texans are still set to kick off the 2020 regular season on September 10th.

The exact games teams will play from their originally set preseason schedule is still undetermined as there will be some reshuffling for weeks two and three. Each team will play one game at home and one on the road. For example, the Panthers were set to play both the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens in weeks two and three of the preseason but both were scheduled to be on the road.

The NFL and NFLPA are still in discussions over the exact protocol they will take in the reopening of team facilities. According to Kevin Seifert, there is still not a hard deadline for finalizing the protocols but the idea is that both sides need to reach an agreement by the end of next week in order for a July 28  reopen day to be possible. There is a legitimate chance that the league will ask players and team personnel to quarantine at home for two weeks before leaving for training camp. More details to come in the near future.

How do you feel about the league's decision to decrease the preseason to two games? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below and discuss it with fellow Panther fans!

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter:

Facebook - @PanthersOnSI

Twitter - @SI_Panthers and Jack Duffy at @JackDuffySI