Covid-19 effect
Schedule depends on containing pandemic
NFL season hopes rest on coronavirus, test response, says Fauci
LOS ANGELES: The NFL’s chances of playing out its planned 256-game schedule will depend upon containing the conronavirus outbreak and testing results, according to Covid-19 pandemic expert Anthony Fauci.
Dr Fauci, a leader among the White House Coronavirus Task Force advising the US government on the deadly virus, told NBC Sports that very little is certain about the NFL’s hopes to have a season and a Super Bowl in February at Tampa, Florida, as planned.
“The virus will make the decision for us,” Fauci said.
“It’s unpredictable depending upon how we respond in the fall... It will be entirely dependent on the effectiveness with which we as a society respond to the inevitable outbreak that will occur.”
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, held out hope there might be able to be a limited number of spectators at some NFL games but also warned he was against staging a season if the virus was as widespread in September as it is now.
“Right now, if you fast forward, and it’s now September, the season starts, I say you can’t have a season — it’s impossible,” Fauci said. “There’s too much infection out there.”
The NFL’s 2020 season is scheduled to start on Sept 10 with Houston at reigning champions Kansas City, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, at Arrowhead Stadium.
It could be that games are staged in empty stadiums with only players who test negative for the coronavirus.
“I think it’s feasible that negative testing players could play to an empty stadium,” Fauci said. “Is it guaranteed? No way.”
Fauci envisions plenty of tests will be available by September to allow for testing players before games, removing any positive-testing talent from the line-up for two weeks of isolation and using contact tracing to seek out others infected.
“There will be virus out there and you will know your players are negative at the time they step onto the field. You’re not endangering,” he said.
“Also, if the virus is so low that even in the general community the risk is low, then I could see filling a third of the stadium or half the stadium so people could be six feet apart.”
No player testing positive for the virus could be allowed to play, Fauci said, adding, “It would be malpractice in medicine to put him on the field, absolutely.”
TAGOVAILOA SIGNS $30M DEAL
Tua Tagovailoa signed a four-year deal worth US$30.28 million on Monday with the Miami Dolphins, according to an NFL website posting.
The 22-year-old Hawaiian quarterback of Samoan heritage led Alabama to the US college crown for the 2017 season and was the fifth selection in last month’s NFL draft.
His rookie contract reportedly is guaranteed with a fifth-year option and a guaranteed signing bonus of $19.6 million.
That will more than cover the cost of the black Cadillac SUV he presented his mother, Diana, on Sunday as a Mother’s Day gift.
Tagovailoa is making money for the Dolphins already, with his No.1 aqua Miami jersey the top selling NFL jersey since last month’s NFL draft. The second seller is his white road game Dolphins jersey.