AP Sources: NFL discussed cancellations due to COVID-19

BY ROB MAADDI and BARRY WILNER
AP Pro Football Writers

With a surge of COVID-19 cases threatening to disrupt the NFL season, the league discussed canceling three games last week for the first time since the pandemic began. In talks with the NFL Players Association, canceling games involving Washington, Cleveland and the Los Angeles Rams was considered because of coronavirus outbreaks on each team. Instead, the games were moved from the weekend to Monday and Tuesday. After NFLPA President JC Tretter, a center for the Browns, said the NFL wanted to cancel those games — players would not have been paid in that scenario, according to the league’s COVID-19 protocols agreement with the union —  two player reps with knowledge of the discussions told the AP canceling the games was never the No. 1 plan.