As American professional sports resume this month, the novel coronavirus looms in the shadows, prepared to again rob fans of distractions from the everyday world. Look no further than the outbreak being experienced by the Miami Marlins for a reminder of how tenuous the immediate future can be.
And it's safe to assume football will be the most difficult sport to execute successfully. Unlike baseball, which is naturally conducive to social distancing, or the NBA and NHL, which are resuming their seasons in bubble locations to limit outside exposure, the NFL doesn't have that luxury. Not to mention, there are far more players in the NFL and football involves far more person-to-person contact.