Commissioner Roger Goodell has been adamant about maintaining the timeline of the NFL season amid the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Regardless, it appears there could be some changes made to the 2020 preseason leading up to it.

The latest rumors are that the NFL could potentially shorten the preseason in an effort to reduce the health risks involved. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, the exhibition games could be cut in half, from four per team (five for those teams in the annual Hall of Fame game) to two.

The league has had to take unprecedented action due to the pandemic and this has presented teams with their own set of challenges when it comes to getting their players ready for the grind of a long season. The hope is that this would give the NFL extra time to establish health protocols while preparing for the 2020 campaign.

Even prior to the pandemic, there had been talk about the NFL shortening the preseason due to the sheer amount of injuries that occur during this time. Many teams have opted to sit out their starters completely in recent years to ensure their health for the regular season. Of course, the latest turn of events have only helped provide even more reasons for the league to cut down on exhibition games.

It remains to be seen if both sides can figure out a way for it to actually come to fruition. A successful, shortened preseason could spur the NFL to make the changes permanent after this year.