The NFL has a major benefit in being the last major American sport to return in the COVID-infected world. The league has been able to observe the relative successes of the NBA and NHL bubbles, the struggles of Major League Baseball, and the well-functioning soccer leagues across the pond that have managed full seasons in countries that have been more effective than the U.S. at controlling the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The NFL has seemingly learned very little, and this is troubling. Football has a few key differences that work in the league’s favor, including fewer games and more time off in between them, but there are many additional factors that make it a much higher-risk sport than baseball.