Buccaneers: NFLPA Medical Director optimistic 2020 season will happen

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers faithful are looking on in hopes that the 2020 season will happen. NFLPA Medical Director Thom Mayer is optimistic it will happen.

The entire country is hunkering down in hopes of stopping the spread of the COVID-19 virus that has become a pandemic across the world.

While football is one of the least important issues at a time like this, it’s clear to see that fans across America are intrigued to see if a season can somehow be played. While many analysts have weighed in and given their opinion on the matter, the truth is that it’s just too early to tell what will ultimately happen.

NFLPA Medical Director Thom Mayer appeared on Adam Schefter’s podcast this week and what he said should instill some hope and optimism in fans across the country, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Mayer said there should be a clearer idea of what to expect by the end of May or into early June.

"“We’ve encouraged the league to put up a guideline, a road map, to determine at what point the clubs could safely open,” Mayer said. “You start to think about what a game will look like. Could it be something similar to what the NBA was going to do where you play games with no people? Is there a way that we can get people into the stadium safely?”"

While he doesn’t expect that OTAs will be held, he said he is optimistic that things will be safe enough to play the season by the time August and September roll around.

"“I’m optimistic by nature, we’re smart people in America and I think we can get this done,” Mayer said. “Because it’s an emerging novel virus, there are more questions than there are answers. The good news is that, in many respects, we have more resources because of the nature of our country. and the benefit of looking at what happened in those other countries.”"

Mayer also said that training camp could be the first offseason program this year, but that projections remain largely unknown because of the fluidity of the virus.

Perhaps no one wants to see this season played more than Buccaneers fans, who have been celebrated the addition of Tom Brady over the last couple of weeks.

If the season does happen, the Buccaneers will be expected to compete with the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South and, hopefully, end the streak of 12-straight years with a playoff appearance.