Seahawks have a deadline for only U.S. sports show going on: the start of NFL free agency
The only sports show still on is not going to play out on a field, court or rink.
With the NBA, NHL, NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, high-school sports in and around Seattle—and more—suspending every event for the foreseeable future because of the COVID-19 virus, the NFL has decided it is going ahead as planned. It intends to start its league year and free agency for 2020 on Wednesday at 1 p.m., as scheduled.
That means the two-day period unrestricted free agents can begin negotiating with other teams apparently will begin Monday, as planned.
So the Seahawks still have until Monday to give top pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney an offer he loves to keep him from shopping the market for the first time, as he now seems almost certain to do.
All signs are the NFL Players’ Association will finish their voting on the owners’ proposed collective bargaining agreement by Saturday night, also as scheduled.
The NFL has the benefit the suspended leagues and levels do not. It is not in season. The beginning of the league year, free agency, the period to assign franchise and transition tags is done by telephone and, particularly in the case of the players’ contentious CBA vote, online.
The NFL’s upcoming schedule, unlike NBA, NHL and NCAA tournament games, can be done with minimal risk during the coronavirus pandemic. The NFL’s offseason events for this month do not require the massing and close contact of players, officials, coaches and fans. Such gatherings are against the current guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and other public-health authorities seeking to contain the spread of the virus.
The NFL’s April, however, is another matter.
On the same day Washington Gov. Jay Inslee mandated the closing of all school districts in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties until at least April 24, idling about 600,000 students for the next six weeks, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell notified his 32 teams the league’s annual meeting is canceled. It was to be March 29-April 1 in Palm Beach, Fla.
“There will be full consideration and votes on any open football issues, including playing rules, bylaws, and resolutions, as well as other business matters that were on the agenda for the Annual Meeting, at the Spring meeting scheduled for May 19-20,” the NFL’s statement on the cancellation said Thursday. “Most of the first day will be dedicated to football-related issues. Head coaches and general managers will participate in the meeting.
“This decision was made consistent with the league’s primary concern to protect the health of club and league employees and the public while enabling the league to continue with its essential business operations.
“We will continue to closely monitor developments, consult with leading experts, and be prepared to make any changes necessary as circumstances warrant.”
On Thursday the Vikings became the latest team to announce they had pulled their scouts and coaches off the road to watch draft prospects at their campus pro days. The Jets, Buccaneers, Super Bowl-champion Chiefs and other teams have announced the same restrictions on their scouts and coaches. At least 10 teams, including Kansas City, have announced curtailed travel and/or closing of their team facilities to almost all personnel indefinitely because of the virus.
The Seahawks have not returned messages from The News Tribune asking whether Seattle’s staff has curtained travel for pre-draft scouting.
The biggest event involving fans of the NFL’s offseason is the draft. It’s scheduled to be in Las Vegas for the first time April 23-25. It is supposed to be a grand spectacle, as is typical for Vegas events. The league has been planning to have the main stage of the draft amid the fountains and man-made lagoon in front of the Bellagio hotel and casino along the Las Vegas Strip. Players drafted are to get to a red carpet stage via boat. The draft’s main stage is to be at the Ceasars Palace Forum.
We are six weeks away from that. We can only hope either the virus—or the NFL’s currently inappropriate excess—is better contained by then.
This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 7:06 AM.
