A Fall Without Football? The impact could be massive

Football season is on the horizon ... but will it happen as the coronavirus pandemic rages on? This past week, we examined the possibility of a fall without football, and what that would mean in a country where the sport is king.

What we learned: 

• Staging games without risk seems to be an impossibility. 
• But it didn't have to be this way, Nancy Armour says. 
• The NFL is doing everything it can so COVID-19 doesn't cause a shutdown. 
• The sports betting industry would have to get creative without football.  
• The overall economic impact? Billions.  
• Our Dan Wolken worries that playing football could increase the strain on our nation's COVID-19 testing capacity.  
• Americans apparently aren't confident that games will happen.  
• A fall without football could have an emotional toll. 
• And could November's elections be impacted if football isn't played?    

Washington. Football. Team. 

Washington's NFL team will be known as the Washington Football Team in 2020. No, seriously! 

The process of actually picking a nickname, new coach Ron Rivera says, will take some time.  

Other notable NFL stories from last week: 

• Jamal Adams traded: The Jets sent the disgruntled All-Pro defensive back to the Seahawks in exchange for a big haul.  
• No preseason: The NFL Players Association and league's owners have agreed to scrap the 2020 preseason while also reducing the size of training camp rosters. 
• Winners and losers: Who benefits (and who is hurt) by a lack of tune-up games?
• On-time camps: NFL owners and players have reached financial and practice agreements that will allow 2020 training camps to start on time.  
• 'I’m ready to go': Dolphins rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa declares himself healthy ahead of his first NFL camp.   
• Opting out: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, a starter on the offensive line for the Kansas City Chiefs, is the first NFL player to publicly opt out of the upcoming season.  
• No fans at MetLife: There will be no fans in the stands for New York Giants and Jets home games until further notice. 
• Masks on: The NFL will require fans to wear face coverings at games in 2020.
• Mike Ditka: The legendary player and coach had some thoughts about taking a knee during the national anthem.  
• Michael Bennett: The three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, has announced his retirement.  
• Washington Football Team: Julie Donaldson has been hired to head team's broadcasting department and hire a new play-by-play voice.   
• Buffalo Bills: Defensive tackle Ed Oliver was cleared of all charges stemming from his May DWI arrest.  
• Antonio Brown: The wide receiver urges the NFL to resolve its investigation so he "can talk to these teams properly."  
• Win Wilson: Russell Wilson and Ciara announced the birth of their second child. 

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