NFL opens to full stadiums as COVID-19 surges

By ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady calmly ran out from a smoke-filled tunnel, leading the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers onto the field Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys in front of a full stadium for the first time since COVID-19 upended the world and changed the way sports were viewed. The NFL kicked off its biggest season — teams are playing a 17-game schedule — with no capacity limitations as the league follows the NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA and others in opening its doors to sold-out stadiums. While there were no restrictions in the preseason, stadiums weren’t completely filled as many fans skip exhibition games. That wasn’t the case at Raymond James Stadium with more than 65,000 fans coming out.