While no one is thankful for COVID-19, there are some Chiefs who benefit from its affects.
Let’s be very, very clear from the outset: No one at all is glad for this COVID-19 pandemic in any way, shape or form. The employees, coaches and players of the Kansas City Chiefs are just like the rest of us—waiting and hoping for the world to return to normal as soon as possible. Everyone is also doing their part to make sure they contribute to that very goal.
Like it or not, however, COVID-19 is ever-present in 2020 and affecting everything in its path. Some sports have shut down entirely. Others feel like they’re on the brink. The National Football League has yet to fully test its product, but the shadow of uncertainty hangs over every announcement put forth by the league. How things will play out is anyone’s guess.
So far, we’ve already seem tremendous changes in the way each NFL team is going about its business. That’s true on a league-wide scale as well. Minicamps have been cancelled. Offseason training activities never happened. In-person meetings went digital, and preseason games have been wiped out.
All of these changes are going to hurt some players but they’re also going to benefit others. The NFL is, after all, a competition and that’s not just team versus team. Rosters that began at 90 will be pared down to 80 by August 16, if they haven’t already. From there, active rosters will feature 53 players. Increased practice squads will save some jobs, but the competition is just as real this season as any before it. However, there are far less opportunities for unproven players to showcase what they can do.
Because of this, some players are going to actually benefit from a COVID-affected season. It’s not something to celebrate for anyone, including the players on his list. It’s just the way it is.