Report: NFL Has No Plans To Move Back Start Of New League Year
BOSTON (CBS) -- As leagues around the world are canceling seasons and tournaments amid the coronavirus outbreak, it looks like the NFL will continue on with business as usual -- at least for the most part. That means NFL free agency will take over the sporting world come Monday afternoon.
The NBA, NHL, MLS and MLB are all on hold as the world tries to stop the spread of coronavirus. But the NFL is not in season, and according to ESPN's Dan Graziano, the league has no plans to push back the start of the league year, which officially opens up Wednesday at 4 pm. The legal tampering period of free agency will begin Monday at noon, as planned.
In New England, that means all eyes will be on quarterback Tom Brady, who will be a free agent for the first time in his career. The football world has been inundated with Brady rumors over the last few months, and the QB is expected to make a decision on his future early in the free agency process. There may not be any in-person meetings between Brady, his camp and teams hoping to sign him amid the outbreak, but that shouldn't stop the quarterback from getting a new contract come Wednesday afternoon, when deals can become official.
While things have gotten a little silly with the Brady Watch over the last few weeks, his decision -- and that of hundreds of other players -- could be a nice distraction amid the coronavirus crisis. In a world suddenly absent of sports, NFL free agency could be all we have for a while.
Things, of course, could change between now and Monday. Several teams have pulled coaches and scouts off the road and the league canceled its annual spring owners' meetings, which were supposed to be held in Palm Beach, Florida from March 29 through April 1.
Update: The NFL canceled all college player visits on Friday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Teams will rely on online communication for their pre-draft interviews going forward.
A little further down the line, there could be changes made to the NFL Draft, which will be held in Las Vegas from April 23 to 25, and OTAs could be pushed back or potentially canceled. That could also lead to disruptions in training camp and the preseason.
But, for now, it appears NFL free agency will kick off without any delays.