The NFL is discussing options for a postseason bubble following weeks of rescheduled games due to positive COVID-19 tests, sources told The Athletic.
Los Angeles and Dallas are two cities that have been discussed, sources said, based on their facilities, hotel space and climates. The Los Angeles Rams opened the $5 billion SoFi Stadium this season, and the Dallas Cowboys have played in $1.3 billion AT&T Stadium since 2009, and opened their $1.5 billion Ford Center at The Star multi-use complex, which has multiple practice fields, in 2016.
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An in-season bubble is not in consideration, sources said, but the postseason makes more sense because of a shorter timeline for players and staff to be in isolation. The idea would align with the NBA and NHL’s execution of a bubble where only teams in playoff contention would be included.
On Sunday, the NFL announced the rescheduling of eight AFC games due to positive COVID-19 tests.
What we know?
Lindsay Jones, senior NFL writer: The NFL has been very quiet about their COVID-19 contingency plans, but now that there has been an outbreak (in Tennessee) and other positive tests within other teams (including four in New England) have forced schedule changes, we are starting to learn more about the NFL's plans through their actions. That includes moving games around in October and November and swapping bye weeks in order to try to get as many impacted games rescheduled during the normal 17-week schedule framework as possible. But we are also learning that the NFL is looking at some longer-term options, and that could include a postseason bubble and neutral site playoff games in hopes of keeping COVID-19 from impacting the biggest games of the year.
What's next?
Jones: Nothing is close to finalized, and the league will continue to treat each week and each individual game on a case-by-case basis. But after what has transpired over the past two weeks, and with the success the NBA, NHL and WNBA had with their true bubble formats, it's something the NFL has to consider as it works toward its end goal of getting to Super Bowl LV in Tampa.
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