Kirk Herbstreit was on ESPN Radio Thursday night and delivered some dire projections for football fans. The College Gameday star said he finds it difficult to believe there will be a football season in 2020.
“Just because, from what I understand, people that I listen to, you’re 12 to 18 months from a [COVID-19] vaccine,” he said when pressed to explain why he feels the way he does. “I don’t know how you let these guys go into locker rooms and let stadiums be filled up and how you can play ball. I just don’t know how you can do it with the optics of it.”
Herbstreit added that there is a realistic scenario where rushing players and coaches back into packed locker rooms and rushing fans back into packed stadium could not only spread the virus. It could cause a PR nightmare.
“Next thing you know you got a locker room full of guys that are sick. And that’s on your watch? I wouldn’t want to have that. As much as I hate to say it, I think we’re scratching the surface of where this thing’s gonna go.”
It isn’t just the coronavirus pandemic that gives Herbstreit pause. He is also concerned about the condensed schedule coaches and players would be facing.
“You don’t all of the sudden come up with something in July or August and say, ‘OK we’re good to go’ and turn ’em loose!”
Neither the NFL nor the NCAA have presented a timetable for when they would be able to speak with more clarity about the upcoming season. Roger Goodell recently ordered all team offices closed as of Wednesday. The NFL commissioner also said that the league will proceed with the NFL Draft as planned on April 23 through 25.