Report: NFLPA Tells Players There Will Be Zero NFL Preseason Games In 2020

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The National Football League Players Association Board told players that the entire 2020 NFL preseason will be canceled and zero games will take place prior to the regular season, according to multiple reports.

The elimination of all preseason games comes a few weeks after the league reportedly planned to cut the number of preseason games in half. On July 1, the NFL reportedly planned to shorten the 2020 preseason schedule to two weeks.

In early July, the NFLPA’s membership reportedly voted in favor of not playing any preseason games this season.

On Tuesday, July 21, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that “NFLPA leadership told players on a conference call a few minutes ago there will be zero preseason games this year, sources say. Not a surprise given the league offered that but now all but official, according to the union.”

Will discuss where we stand with all issues involving the NFL and NFLPA with @RapSheet on @NFLTotalAccess momentarily.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 21, 2020

In early July, Garafolo reported that NFL players expressed a number of concerns about preseason play.

“The players I’m told are expressing a number of concerns on this call,” Garafolo previously told NFL NOW. “Not the least of which, is if there’s so much concern about this virus right now, why are we returning to work, period? And I was told that one of the medical experts said that is something you’re going to have to decide on an individual basis. Basically, are some players going to opt-out based on risk factors and just how they’re feeling about themselves and their family? So that is something to watch going forward.”

What does "general agreement" mean on opt-out and stipend? Details are still being finalized (i.e. who qualifies as high risk, how much they're paid, etc.), but the NFL and NFLPA have agreed on the concept. Those will exist.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 21, 2020