NFL Eliminates Two Preseason Games, Just Get Us To The Regular Season

The NFL announced today it's cutting the preseason in half -- Week One and Week Four are out -- and give teams more time to avoid traveling and any coronavirus issues that could arise from that travel. Here's the thing at this point: Roger Goodell needs to do whatever it takes to get us to that magical finish line of the regular season. Texans at Chiefs on September 10 is all that matters at this point because backups to backups getting snaps during Week Four of the NFL don't matter at this point.

With the new schedule, Week One of preseason will be played Aug. 20-24 and Week Two will be Aug. 27-31. There's tweaking to come to get each team a home game.

Sorry fellas. That's the nature of the beast right now. Do I need to see Cam Newton working one series with the Patriots first team in Week One of the preseason? No. Do I need to see Aaron Rodgers looking miserable in his street clothes during Week Four? I didn't need that a decade ago. This is exactly what many of you have been hoping for: a shorter preseason and a higher likelihood your favorite player won't suffer some ridiculous preseason injury.

Also keep in mind the college football season is scheduled to start August 29. Week Four of the NFL preseason takes place Thursday, September 3. There are 15 regular-season college football games scheduled to be on TV that night. At this point Week Four is just there to line NFL owner pockets and force season ticket holders into buying worthless games they don't want to attend. I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather watch NC State-Louisville on September 3 over any NFL preseason game.

Owners will have to make due this year with one preseason game and some teams like the Bears are already giving season ticket holders to defer the 2020 season while retaining their rights to the same seats in 2021. It's still not clear whether Chicago will even allow fans into Soldier Field. The team is looking at a plan to possibly get 8,000 into the stadium, but the city isn't ready to commit to that yet.

Now let's talk NFL preseason refunds. Fans are already clamoring for that money to be returned. Goodell warned NFL teams in early May to be ready for "unique circumstances" and to give ticket purchasers the option to get a refund or put the money towards future ticket purchases.

Get to the regular season, see where the league stands and try to have some semblance of a season. Everything else at this moment (outside player health) shouldn't matter, including two preseason games.