NFL Announces Schedule Changes After Titans COVID-19 Outbreak

Courtesy of Associated Press

The COVID-19 pandemic was inevitably going to intersect with the NFL regular season. Five weeks in, the pandemic has disrupted the fabric of the season, forcing the league to reshuffle its schedule.

The NFL continues to combat increasing positive cases of COVID-19 with revisions to the 2020 regular season schedule. Nine teams are seeing changes to their schedule over the season, including the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and Tennessee Titans.

Nashville, Tennessee has become the coronavirus epicenter across professional sports. Last week, the Tennessee Titans saw a major COVID-19 outbreak, registering 24 positive cases since September 24, including players, coaching, and team personnel. The Titans were thrust into a national spotlight, becoming the first NFL team to experience a major coronavirus outbreak. 

The league subsequently shut down the Titans practice facility indefinitely, and rescheduled their Week 4 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 4 to Week 7. The Steelers were scheduled to play the Ravens in Week 7, but that game was postponed to Week 8 to accommodate the postponement. The Titans were scheduled to have their bye week during Week 7, but Week 4 became Tennessee's de facto bye week due to the postponement of their game against the Steelers. 

Tennessee's Week 5 matchup with the Buffalo Bills was rescheduled as well from Sunday October 11 at 1:00pm to Tuesday October 13 at 7:00pm, after positive tests continued into Week 5. The NFL subsequently rescheduled Buffalo's game hosting the Kansas City Chiefs from Thursday Night Football in Week 6 to a Monday October 19 at 5pm. This move forces the Bills to play on short weeks in back-to-back games, with one fewer day of rest than each of their Week 6 and 7 opponents. 

"Nobody's to blame," Titans coach Mike Vrabel told the media regarding the outbreak within the Titans organization. "We're in a pandemic. Unfortunately, things happen. (General manager) Jon (Robinson) and I feel comfortable that since receiving the (COVID-19) protocols in August, we’ve followed those by the letter and that we were conscious of everything that we did." 

The Titans are not the only organization to record positive COVID-19 cases. New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton tested positive for COVID-19 last Sunday, forcing the league to reschedule their Week 4 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs from late Sunday afternoon to Monday night. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore also tested positive last Saturday, one day before their scheduled Week 5 tilt against the Denver Broncos. Their game against the Broncos was postponed from Week 5 to Week 6. 

In total, these are the changes the NFL has incorporated to the 2020 regular season schedule: 

• The Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans game will be played in Week 5 on Tuesday, October 13 at 7 p.m. ET on CBS.
• The Denver Broncos at New England Patriots game will be played in Week 6 on Sunday, October 18 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
• The Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills Week 6 game moves from Thursday, October 15 to Monday, October 19 at 5:00 p.m. ET on FOX/NFL Network/Amazon.
• The New York Jets at Miami Dolphins game moves from Week 10 to Week 6 at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS.
• The New York Jets at Los Angeles Chargers game moves from Week 6 to Week 11 on Sunday, November 22 at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars at Los Angeles Chargers game moves from Week 8 to Week 7 on Sunday, October 25 at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS.
• The Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos game moves from Week 11 to Week 8 on Sunday, November 1 at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS.
• The Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins game moves from Week 7 to Week 10 on Sunday, November 15 at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS.
• The Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos game moves from Week 6 to Week 11 at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS.

Additionally, Denver's bye week moves from Week 8 to Week 5, New England's bye week moves from Week 6 to Week 5, the Chargers' bye week moves from Week 10 to Week 6, Miami's bye week moves from Week 11 to Week 7, Jacksonville's bye week moves from Week 7 to Week 8, and the Jets' bye week moves from Week 11 to Week 10. 

The league remains optimistic that the season can continue, with flexibility and adaptability. The NFL has explored the possibility of adding a Week 18 to the regular season schedule, but the league wants to avoid this measure at all costs. Football is treading uncharted waters, and the league will continue to see positive cases as the season progresses. More COVID-19 outbreaks are likely, as are more changes to the schedule.

Follow Sam DeCoste on Twitter @thesamdecoste