Three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday after serving a six-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.

Beckham, 33, is now eligible to practice and play immediately and is free to sign with any team. He accepted the suspension in October after a failed test tied to elevated testosterone levels, saying he did not knowingly take a banned substance. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year last played for the Miami Dolphins in 2024. He finished with nine catches for 55 yards in nine games before being released in December.

Once one of the NFL’s most electric playmakers, Beckham opened his career with the New York Giants by topping 1,300 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. Over 10 seasons with the Giants, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens and Dolphins, he has 575 receptions for 7,987 yards and 59 touchdowns, plus a Super Bowl ring from the Rams’ title run in the 2021 season.

Despite injuries and declining production, Beckham has been adamant he is “not done yet.” He shot down a viral fake retirement report this summer and reiterated his desire to chase another Super Bowl.

As the playoff race tightens, several contenders have been rumored to have talked with the veteran. The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos both could use another reliable target. The Pittsburgh Steelers, thin at wide receiver, would give Beckham a third stop in the AFC North. Out West, the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, the team he helped to a championship, loom as logical fits if they seek experienced depth for a stretch run.

The NFL’s choice of Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny to perform at the Super Bowl LX halftime show has sparked criticism from conservative groups online, labeling the artist as “anti-American.” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league’s decision. He emphasized that the selection was based on global popularity and broad appeal.

Bad Bunny, 31, is one of the most successful artists in the world. He holds the title of Spotify’s most-streamed musician for several consecutive years. He has won three Grammy Awards and 10 nominations, along with multiple American Music Awards and a BET Award for Single of the Year for “I like it.” His collaboration with Cardi B and J Balvin.

Beyond music, Bad Bunny has ventured into professional wrestling with appearances in WWE and recently starred in the film Happy Gilmore 2, released in July.

President Donald Trump even weighed in on the controversy during a Newsmax interview, saying, “I don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it; it’s crazy. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Super Bowl LX will take place on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and will air on NBC. The NFL has not announced any guest performers who might join Bad Bunny on stage.

Halftime show controversies have long accompanied the event, from Janet Jackson’s 2004 “wardrobe malfunction” to debates over Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 performance.

An arbitration case revealed by Pablo Torre found the NFL management council encouraged teams to reduce the guarantees in contracts.

The document is part of a lawsuit from the NFL Players Association that alleges NFL teams worked together to reduce guarantees. Ultimately, the result was that there wasn’t enough evidence to say collusion took place.

The lawsuit, which came after Deshaun Watson’s record-breaking $230 million fully guaranteed contract, sought damages for quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray and Lamar Jackson.

Despite finding there wasn’t enough evidence to say collusion took place, there was enough evidence behind the NFL’s encouragement of collusion.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell gave his blessing to the plan.

“It’s the collusion in action,” Mike Florio said on Pablo Torre Finds Out while discussing Murray’s contract talks with the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. “It’s the ‘encouragement’ that was communicated to the teams, owners and other executives in the room.”

Arbitrator Christopher Droney issued the ruling in January 2025, but it had not been released until Torre found it.

While the demands of the NFLPA might not have been accepted, this document still reveals corruption in the league and is a win for players in the NFL.

The NFL Coaching Accelerator has scheduled five events since 2022, providing minority coaches with the opportunity to engage and develop their talent alongside team owners and executives. The sixth would have been in Minneapolis, but the NFL has decided to take a step back.

NFL chief administrative officer Dasha Smith told ESPN that the accelerator would be paused for a year, during which time the league would reevaluate the program’s strategy.

“We believe diversity of thought and background is essential to our success,” Smith said, “and it’s reflected in the policies, programs, and partnerships that help us attract, develop, and retain top talent at every level on and off the field.

“Every off-season, we take a step back to reflect on the positives and areas for improvement of our programs and assess ways to make them more impactful. This year, we assessed and identified additional opportunities with the Accelerator – including combining the coaching and front office programs to ensure the Accelerator continues to be as impactful as possible.”

According to Smith, the NFL intends to introduce the new version of the accelerator in May 2026. But how will diversity fare in the meantime?

The accelerator has had limited success, true. Only one coach and one general manager have come out of the program over the three years it’s been running. But, with the Trump administration’s efforts to quash “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI) programs across the country, pausing a diversity-centered program sends a particular message.

There are three fewer minority head coaches and GMs in the 2025 NFL than there were in 2024. For the second year in a row, there are no back offensive coordinators – something that previously hadn’t happened since 1988, despite other league diversity policies like the Rooney Rule.

The NFL and its commissioner, Roger Goodell, have been adamant that the league’s diversity initiatives are here to stay. It’ll be up to them to prove that the coaching accelerator not only returns, but is also effective.

The NFL is still on top of the North American sports scene from a monetary standpoint – the league made close to $13 billion last year, up 7.5 percent from 2022. This total comes from national media rights, league sponsorships and royalties. All teams made $402.3 million in national revenue in 2023 – when multiplied by 32, that comes to $12.873 billion, a 36% increase from 2019. Commissioner Rodger Goodell aims to have national revenue up to $25 billion by 2027.

Making nearly $13 billion is quite an achievement, but things could be better. The Packers saw profits dwindle by $8.5 million, down from $68.6 million. Packers CEO Mark Murphy said profits are “in a fairly high range historically.” Green Bay saw investment returns increase to $64.3 million, resulting in a net income of $98.1 million thanks to a growing market. The national revenue increase will lead to a rise in the salary cap – currently, the salary cap for each team is $224.8 million.

The NFL’s media contracts with ESPN, FOX, CBS and Amazon comprise most of the shared revenue. Three dozen companies were also sponsors in 2023 – some include Gatorade, Visa and Campbell’s Soup. The payout from these media deals should rise to around $800 million in the foreseeable future.

All NFL teams are facing a billion-dollar verdict in the NFL Sunday Ticket antitrust trial. If the verdict is upheld, each team will be expected to pay roughly $440 million.

In a landmark decision, the jury in the NFL Sunday Ticket trial has determined that the NFL violated antitrust laws, culminating in a monumental judgment that could reshape how fans access professional football.

After just two days of deliberation, the jury concluded that the league’s exclusive deal with DirecTV to broadcast Sunday Ticket constituted an illegal monopolization of prices.

The NFL has been ordered to pay approximately $4.7 billion in damages to fans and $96 million to bars that utilize the service to show games. This decision marks one of the most significant legal challenges the NFL has faced in recent years, with substantial financial implications.

“We are disappointed with the jury’s verdict today in the NFL Sunday Ticket class action lawsuit,” the league said in a statement.

“We continue to believe that our media distribution strategy, which features all NFL games broadcast on free over-the-air television in the markets of the participating teams and national distribution of our most popular games, supplemented by many additional choices including RedZone, Sunday Ticket, and NFL+ is by far the most fan-friendly distribution model in all of sports and entertainment.”

The league emphasized its belief that the claims in the class action lawsuit are “baseless and without merit.” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league officials maintain that their current distribution model serves the fans best, providing a blend of free-to-air and premium viewing options that cater to various preferences.

The lawsuit centered on the NFL’s exclusive agreement with DirecTV, which plaintiffs argued created an unfair monopoly, driving up prices and limiting consumer choice. By making Sunday Ticket available only through DirecTV, the plaintiffs contended that the NFL effectively stifled competition and violated antitrust laws.

This ruling could have far-reaching implications for the NFL’s media strategy and its partnerships with broadcast and streaming services. As the league prepares to appeal, the case will likely continue to be a focal point of debate and analysis within the legal and sports communities.

For now, fans and bars stand to benefit from the jury’s decision, potentially seeing restitution for what has been deemed an unfair pricing model.

However, the appeal process could delay any immediate financial remedies. The NFL’s forthcoming actions and the appeals court’s response will be crucial in determining the outcome of this high-stakes legal battle.

The NBA will once again have competition on the biggest holiday of the year.

Reversing course, the NFL has now decided to schedule games on Christmas later this year. Despite Christmas in 2024 falling on a Wednesday, the league plans to have two games play on the holiday. This means there will be a doubleheader on a Wednesday for the first time in 88 years.

The last time that happened was when the Giants hosted the Cowboys in a 1949 game that was moved from a Thursday to a Wednesday due to a conflict with the Democratic National Convention. According to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, football fans should not expect a whole lot more games commencing in the middle of the week.

“It will not be a regular thing,” Goodell said during Tuesday’s news conference in Orlando following the NFL’s Annual League Meeting.

Also during the press conference, Goodell was asked about injury concerns due to players having a short week to prepare for a mid-week game. He reiterated that the concerns he had were minimal.

“But the time period between games has been done before,” Goodell said. “We have not seen any elevation of injuries. We have had a major focus on Thursday night when you first put that, and we’ve still not seen any kind of elevation of the figures. I think we’ve got this down.”

It is no surprise the NFL is continuing to challenge the NBA in terms of Christmas Day sports programming. According to Sports Media Watch, all three NFL games last Christmas Day gathered more than 27 million viewers. The NBA meanwhile had an average of 2.85 million viewers across their five Christmas Day games.

Social media was buzzing with hot takes on the NFL’s Christmas Day decision, with some emphasizing the sheer amount of football content across college and professional during Christmas time.

It will interesting to see what the matchups will be for this year’s NFL Christmas slate. For now, football is becoming the most dominant sport to watch on December 25.

The Philadelphia Eagles will be part of the NFL’s first regular season game in São Paolo, Brazil, on September 6, the day after opening kickoff on Thursday night, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced.

This game holds great significance in the NFL for two reasons.

First, it’s that this will be the NFL’s first Friday game on the opening weekend of the season since the St. Louis Cardinals played the Los Angeles Rams on a Friday night for the 1970 season opener 54 years ago.

Second, it’s that the NFL international series has now expanded to six countries, with games previously being played at various locations in Britain, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Japan and now Brazil. There’s talk that Goodell and the NFL could be targeting Spain as a potential location for the 2024-25 season as well.

The game will be hosted in Corinthians Arena, which hosts over 49,000 fans and was host to several World Cup matches in 2014. That won’t be enough seats to host the 38 million NFL fans in Brazil with “increased” interest though, according to NFL.com.

“We are just incredibly enthusiastic about our growth on a global basis,” Goodell said. “We are convinced we can be a global sport in the near future. Our ownership has committed to allow more games to be played on an annual basis, on a global basis. We are excited about the fans’ reaction and our media partners. I think this is a great opportunity for the league and we are committed to making it a global sport.”

As a home game for the Eagles, they will be playing against one of their pre-determined home opponents for the 2024-25 season, which are the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Owners in the NFL passed a resolution in the fall compelling each team to play at least one international game every four years. It’s likely that São Paolo isn’t at the end of Goodell’s plans.

The ongoing legal battle between the NFL and former Las Vegas Raiders‘ head coach Jon Gruden continues today after a Nevada judge ruled against the league’s motion to dismiss the case outright. The suit brought forth by Gruden claims that the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell selectively leaked Gruden’s emails to force his resignation in October 2021. The emails from 2011, sent to then- Washington Redskins president Bruce Allen, contained derogatory, racist and anti-gay sentiments, although Gruden was not employed as a head coach during the time. The emails were obtained during a long-standing investigation by the NFL into the Washington Commanders and their conduct over the last few seasons. Gruden alleges that the NFL purposely leaked his email since they had been in the league’s possession for about four months before they were made public.

Judge Nancy L. Allf also denied the NFL’s motion to compel arbitration and will move the case to trial unless a settlement is reached between the two parties. In a statement to the media from the NFL, the league stated, “We believe Coach Gruden’s claims should have been compelled to arbitration, and we will file an appeal of the Court’s determination. The Court’s denial of our motion to dismiss is not a determination on the merits of Coach Gruden’s lawsuit, which, as we have said from the outset, lacks a basis in law and fact and proceeds from a false premise – neither the NFL nor the Commissioner leaked Coach Gruden’s offensive emails.”

Gruden’s attorney Adam Hosmer-Henner stated, “There is no explanation or justification for why Gruden’s emails were the only ones made public out of the 650,000 emails collected … or for why the emails were held for months before being released in the middle of the Raiders’ season.”

Gruden has been a constant presence in the NFL in both coaching and broadcasting roles. He coached the Raiders from 1998 to 2001 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2002 to 2008 winning one Super Bowl during his tenure. He was brought back to be the Raiders’ head coach in 2018 after signing a 10-year $100 million contract. The former head coach was in attendance during Alff’s ruling stating to the media, “I’m just going to let the process take care of itself,” Gruden said upon leaving the courtroom. “It’s good to be back in Vegas. I’m going to see some friends tonight. Go Raiders.” The NFL said it will look to appeal the court’s decision.

Former NFL offensive lineman and assistant coach Eugene Chung called the NFL’s statement on his claim a “little misleading.”

Chung, who is Asian American, said that in May, interviewing for a job with an NFL team was told he “wasn’t the right minority.” Since then, the NFL has looked into the matter and released a statement in July, saying it was “unable to confirm the precise statement that was made or by whom, and under what circumstances, any such statement was made.”

“Nonetheless, we intend to use this occasion to reinforce the commitment of the NFL and every NFL club to ensure appropriate interview processes and develop diverse, inclusive, and respectful workforces on and off the field. Mr. Chung has offered to assist us moving forward, and we welcome the opportunity to speak with him about how we can better advance employment opportunities through the League.”

Chung responded to the league’s statement saying that he had only one short, “almost perfunctory” conversation with the NFL back in May and that “every single” coach and personnel executive he has reached out to regarding this matter has said they hadn’t been contacted by the NFL during its review process. The former assistant coach then said that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has declined to meet with him to this point despite a request from Chung’s representation.

Chung has not identified the coach who made the alleged comments or the organization that interviewed him. “I’m not interested in outing anybody,” Chung said. “I think that’s insignificant and irrelevant to what’s going on at hand right now. I want nothing but the best for everybody. I don’t want anyone to ever have to experience [what I’ve experienced] or go through that. A simple conversation to fix that, I think that’d be great.”

The NFL responded to Chung’s claim. “We embrace the opportunity to work with Eugene to hear his ideas on how we can better advance employment opportunities throughout the League, both for Asian-Americans and for all underrepresented groups,” Brian McCarthy, NFL vice president of communications, said Monday. “As we have made him aware, we welcome meeting with him, and have at no time turned down requests to discuss these important issues with our staff, including the Commissioner.”

A memo sent to all teams in the NFL mandate that it will not allow games to be rescheduled in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak this upcoming season.

The memo explains that if a team is forced to cancel a game due to COVID-19 infections among its non-vaccinated players, the team will have to forfeit the contest and be credited with a loss, per the NFL’s memo. Organizations that cause cancelations in 2021 could also face discipline from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

The memo is the latest and strongest incentive yet for players to get the vaccine. The memo was shared by NFL Insider Tom Pelissero on Twitter.

The memo also states that there will be severe consequences for individuals as well as teams, including salaries being withheld in the event of a game cancelation. “If a game is canceled and cannot be rescheduled within the current 18-week schedule due to a Covid outbreak, neither team’s players will receive their weekly paragraph 5 salary,” the memo says.

Last season, COVID-19 outbreaks forced many postponements, but all teams managed to play the entire 16-game schedule. There were no postponements in the playoffs and the Super Bowl was held as scheduled.

The 2021 season will open with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosting the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, September 9.

After an investigation into the Washington Football Team’s workplace culture, the National Football League has decided to fine the organization $10 million. The team had been under investigation since July of 2020.

The money will be taken from the team and used for culture-building efforts, according to a statement from the league. Owner Dan Snyder will also be stepping down from everyday operations. Senior executives will also undergo a set of training sessions on curbing bullying and promoting both diversity and inclusion.

“I feel great remorse for the people who had difficult, even traumatic, experiences while working here. I’m truly sorry for that. I can’t turn back the clock, but I promise that nobody who works here will ever have that kind of experience again, at least not as long as Tanya and I are the owners of this team,” Synder said in a released statement.

The lawyers who brought forth the case against the Washington Football Team claim that the NFL is still choosing to protect Snyder and the organization instead of former employees with the team, and that the fine is not nearly substantial enough to provide true justice.

“This is truly outrageous, and is a slap in the face to the hundreds of women and former employees who came forward in good faith and at great personal risk to report a culture of abuse at all levels of the Team, including by Snyder himself,” the lawyers said in a joint statement.

Others, such as Lisa Friel (who sits on the NFL’s counsel for investigations) claim that while much work remains to be done, hires such as Ron Rivera as head coach and Jason Wright as president are indicative of the organization’s changing culture.

The NFL concluded in their report that: “In some instances, senior executives engaged in inappropriate conduct themselves, including use of demeaning language and public embarrassment. This set the tone for the organization and led to key executives believing that disrespectful behavior and more serious misconduct was acceptable in the workplace.”

The lead investigator on the case, Beth Wilkinson, listed a set of 10 recommendations for Washington, which was predicated on institutional and structural changes to better curb unacceptable behaviors by employees, as well as promote both inclusivity and outlets for those who felt unwelcomed in the organization. Washington is expected to provide progress updates on achieving these 10 benchmarks.

“Over the past 18 months, Dan and Tanya have recognized the need for change and have undertaken important steps to make the workplace comfortable and dignified for all employees, and those changes, if sustained and built upon, should allow the club to achieve its goal of having a truly first-tier workplace,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.

On June 21, Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib made NFL history, becoming the first active player to announce he is gay. Nassib made his announcement via Instagram.

“What’s up people, I’m at my house in West Chester, Pennsylvania. I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay,” Nassib said. “I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now but finally feel comfortable getting it off my chest. I really have the best life, the best family, friends and job a guy can ask for.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZXu_8nyy_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Nassib also said that he intends to donate $100,000 to The Trevor Project, an organization working to prevent suicide among LGBTQ+ youth.

NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, commented on Nassib’s surprising revelation in a statement. “The NFL family is proud of Carl courageously sharing his truth today. Representation matters. We share his hope that someday soon statements like his will no longer be newsworthy as we march toward full equality for the LGBTQ+ community.”

Several players have previously announced they are gay after the conclusion of their career. Michael Sam, a former Missouri defensive lineman, became the first openly gay player selected in the NFL draft but never made the regular-season roster. Jason Collins is another notable athlete, as he became the first active openly gay NBA player.

“I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay,” Collins said to Sports Illustrated. “I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation.”

Nassib has recorded 20.5 sacks during his five-year stint in the NFL after being selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was disappointed that only two minorities were hired as head coaches.

This comes when Goodell and the league have been focusing on increasing the number of minorities being hired as head coaches. However, in Goodell’s annual state of the league speech, he was extremely disappointed by the progress. “I’m not sure there’s an issue we spent more time with our ownership on,” the commissioner empathized in response to the low number. “But it wasn’t what we expected, and it’s not what we expect going forward,” he added after revealing only two minorities were hired as head coaches this offseason.

Furthermore, Goodell reaffirmed the league’s desire to change that, “Our ownership is committed and focused on this.” The commissioner went on to explain that it’s just not in the head coach field but all across the board. “It’s much broader than just head coaches for us,” Goodell said.

The two minority head coaches that were hired are Robert Saleh (hired by the New York Jets) and David Culley (hired by the Houston Texans). The league now has five minority coaches after the two aforementioned signings. This number is very low compared to the makeup of the league, which is 70% minority.

The lack of minorities as head coaches has been very frustrating for players themselves. During the NFLPA conference, linebacker Wesley Woodyard told reporters, “We see ourselves as potential leaders within the NFL community, we aspire to be head coaches, and we want to be GMs.” Woodyard added, “But if you have guys like Eric Bieniemy, who’s been an NFL legend, who’s done great things within his offense, with the team that he’s on, going to back-to-back Super Bowls — that frustrates us as players.”

Despite these disappointing results, Goodell did highlight that there were more minority general managers and staff. While these results were more positive, the commissioner wants to do more. “But we’re not satisfied, and we feel like we can do better, and we’re going to,” he said.

After speculation regarding whether fans would be allowed to attend the upcoming Super Bowl, we finally have an answer. In a video call, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told a group that fans will be allowed in the stadium.

The league will allow 22,000 fans at Raymond James Stadium. The stadium is the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and where Super Bowl LV will be played. Of the 22,000 fans that will be allowed, 7,500 will be health care workers.

Those who are attending the game will be required to wear a face mask as part of the safety protocol against the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, seating will be distanced and tickets will be sold in pods of two, four, or six seats.

GET DEALS ON SUPER BOWL TICKETS HERE!

A bulk of the invited health care workers will be from the Tampa area and the health care workers will all have been vaccinated by January 24. Additionally, NFL teams will have a chance to pick four from their region to send to the game.

Super Bowl LV will be played on February 7, 2021. The Kansas City Chiefs are three-point favorites against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While speaking with ESPN Monday night, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that he is encouraging teams to sign Colin Kaepernick, who has not played in an NFL game since 2016.

During ESPN’s SportsCenter Special Monday evening, Goodell said that he welcomes Kaepernick’s opinions regarding social issues. “Well, listen, if he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it’s going to take a team to make that decision. But I welcome that, support a club making that decision and encourage them to do that. If his efforts are not on the field but continuing to work in this space, we welcome him to that table and to help us, guide us, help us make better decisions about the kinds of things that need to be done in the communities. We have invited him in before, and we want to make sure that everybody’s welcome at that table and trying to help us deal with some very complex, difficult issues that have been around for a long time. But I hope we’re at a point now where everybody’s committed to making long-term, sustainable change.”

With Kaepernick not being on an NFL roster in almost four years, a lot of the blame had gone to Goodell, as it was speculated that he and the NFL owners had essentially ostracized the 32-year old Kaepernick from the league for kneeling during the national anthem and speaking out regarding various social issues. During Monday’s conversation, Goodell praised Kaepernick as well as other NFL players who have spoken out on social issues in recent weeks. “What they were talking about and what they were protesting and what they were trying to bring attention to was playing out right in front of us – and tragically,” he said. “And so all of us saw that, and it was difficult for all of us. And so that was an important point for all of us.”

Goodell and the NFL announced last week that they would be pledging $250 million over the next ten years to help combat systemic racism.

SLIDESHOW: 50 GREAT SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019

After numerous notable NFL players posted a video calling for the NFL to support their players in peaceful protests, the league responded with a video featuring commissioner Roger Goodell saying that the league condemns racism and supports its players.

This video had its critics, none more notable than President Donald Trump. On Sunday, Trump tweeted, “Could it be even remotely possible that in Roger Goodell’s rather interesting statement of peace and reconciliation, he was intimating that it would now be O.K. for the players to KNEEL, or not to stand, for the National Anthem, thereby disrespecting our Country & our Flag?”

Back in 2017, Trump was very vocal about Colin Kaepernick, among other players, kneeling during the national anthem, calling for the NFL to do something, saying all players who knelt during the anthem should be fired. “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a b—- off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired.’”

It appears that the NFL will back its players if they protest on the field during the season, which seems will happen this year, especially since Redskins’ running back Adrian Peterson said over the weekend that without a doubt he will protest.

SLIDESHOW: 50 GREAT SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019

After much anticipation, the NFL released its complete schedule for the 2020 regular season for all 32 NFL teams Thursday night. 

All games this year will be played on U.S. soil, as the league canceled its five international games amid concerns regarding coronavirus. As of right now, the season is expected to start on September 10 with the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs, hosting the Houston Texans, a team that they beat twice last year. Super Bowl LV is expected to be played in Tampa Bay, on February 7. 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has made it clear though that there are contingency plans in place if things don’t return to somewhat normal due to the coronavirus pandemic. “In preparing for all elements of the 2020 season, including the schedule release, we have considered the unique circumstances facing us this year, and have been clear that all of our decisions will be guided by medical and public health advice and will comply with government regulations,” Goodell said. “We will be prepared to make necessary adjustments just as we have in other contexts, such as the offseason program and the draft.”

The NFL has also come out and said that any week can be moved and the season can start with any week if the schedule gets shuffled around because of the pandemic.

The league has been in talks with local, state and federal government officials according to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, to ensure that the season can go on.

In a memo sent out by the NFL on Wednesday to all 32 teams, the league is putting the foundation in place to start re-opening team facilities, with teams needing to be ready to go into ‘phase one’ as soon as May 15. 

VIEW THE FULL SCHEDULE RIGHT HERE!

CORONAVIRUS FAQ: WIKI OF MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

The tradition of booing NFL commissioner Roger Goodell continued on Thursday night even as the 2020 NFL Draft was held virtually, adhering to social distancing rules amid the coronavirus outbreak. Goodell gave his opening remarks and thanked essential workers for their tough job of treating patients infected with the disease as they attempt to combat COVID-19.

He then turned his attention to the fans who were virtually watching the draft and said, “It’s a draft tradition, and one I generally enjoy.” Behind him on a monitor were several fans “in attendance” through a video chat as Goodell egged them on to boo louder (below).

Before the draft started, Goodell appeared in a Bud Light Seltzer commercial on ESPN urging fans to use the hashtag #boothecommish. Goodell appeared on his couch with his dog and announced that the alcoholic beverage powerhouse would donate a $1 to the NFL Draft-a-Thon for every mention on social media up to $500,000 through April 25 to benefit coronavirus relief.

There was skepticism over having the draft while executives would be unable to use their team facilities, but Goodell felt the event needed to go on as scheduled. He addressed his decision in an interview with NFL.com’s Judy Battista.

“People were looking forward to it; it went way beyond interest in football,” Goodell told Battista. “It struck a chord with people. I think, I hope, it sounds like we struck the right tone of recognizing health care workers and first responders while keeping the focus on football.”

Goodell also revealed he sat down only three times throughout the evening as he interacted with fans virtually, FaceTimed with almost every player selected and conducted the Draft-A-Thon fundraiser.

“It definitely was full steam ahead,” Goodell said. “But you always have your hesitations, your concerns. I know how important this is to the clubs. If we had come out of this where they didn’t have time to make trades or if something operationally went wrong … but we heard zero of that. People were making a big deal of that, making a big deal of, is it really the right time to do this kind of event.”

He later added that the league’s next challenge is opening up team facilities.

“My assumption is we will be opening them with some restrictions as far as the number of personnel,” Goodell said. “We’re going to seek to open them all at the same time for equity. What ultimately made the football folks comfortable at the club level with the draft was they were all working with the same rules. We are going to have to get the protocol straight. We can’t move to open until the last team can, so we may have to make some accommodations. Our job is to make sure we work through the problems and try to figure out a way to stay on schedule.”

CORONAVIRUS FAQ: WIKI OF MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

While Roger Goodell and the NFL have decided to continue with their plans to hold this years draft from April 23-25, there will also be a fundraiser to shadow the event in light of the COVID-19 pandandemic. Goodell announced on Wednesday that the league has organized a “Draft-A-Thon” to complement the draft itself, and to act as a fundraiser to support the healthcare workers and first responders who have been aiding the cause in recent months.

The fundraiser can be viewed on a number of networks including ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and of course, the NFL Network. Aside from raising funds for the brave workers and responders, the NFL has decided to disperse the funds to six, big-name, nonprofit organizations, to support their specific relief efforts.

These nonprofits include the American Red Cross, CDC Foundation’s All of Us, Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund, Meals on Wheels COVID-19 Response Fund, Salvation Army, United Way’s COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the NFL itself, in collaboration with the Players Association, has donated over $35 million, to 10 different organizations, some of which are among the new charity list.

CORONAVIRUS FAQ: WIKI OF MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

Goodell has been active about his support and keeping fans and the media in tune with the league’s current plans and what to expect moving forward. And on numerous occasions has offered his word of support and encouragement: “We have all been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever, we need to unify to stay home and stay strong.”