As the NFL continues to prepare to kick off the 2020 regular season in September, the league decided to cut the preseason schedule in half. The first and last games of the preseason have been canceled, and the league is working on revising the schedule so that each team will play one home game and one away game before the regular season begins.
The first preseason games will now start on August 20. According to ESPN, one reason the league cut the preseason games was to give players more time in training camp. Players had voiced concerns that they would need more time to get in shape this year because the coronavirus pandemic has limited their off-season workouts.
In addition to giving players more time to prepare for the season, reducing the number of preseason games means teams will be able to cut down on travel and decrease the chances of players or staff members contracting COVID-19.
The regular season is set to kick off on September 10, when the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Houston Texans.
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