Dr. Allen Sills may be the most critical member of the NFL community for the 2020 season as the league's chief medical officer.

Sills said this week that COVID-19 will likely remain a factor throughout the 2020 season, but the league has protocols to keep players, coaches and staff safe.

“I remain cautiously optimistic because we’ve spent a tremendous amount of time and energy with these protocols and preparing, trying to mitigate risk to the best that we can,” Sills told the Houston Chronicle. “At the same time, we have to realize that this is going to be hard. This is going to be really hard because this is a tough opponent. This virus is a highly contagious virus, and it remained very endemic across our country.

“It’s going to be a real challenge for us at every level of the league, but our teams are very committed to this. I know our players are very invested, as are all of our coaches and staff. We’re all going to put our very best foot forward to try to mitigate risk and see if we can carry forward and coexist with a virus. As much as we’d like it to go away, I think it’s clear that it’s unlikely to be eradicated at any time in the very near future.”

Roger Goodell published a letter to NFL fans on Monday, referencing a "complete" season rather than a "full" season as the league deals with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Below is the text of the letter in full:

"This week training camps across the country are starting and before we know it, the NFL season will be here. This is always the most optimistic time of year for our fans, and for all 32 teams. In a year that has been extraordinarily difficult for our country and the world, we hope the energy of this moment will provide some much-needed optimism.

"In the months since the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down, we have navigated the time carefully, thoughtfully and in partnership with the NFL Players Association with a shared goal of playing a healthy and complete 2020 season. This process has not been easy — COVID-19 will continue to present a major challenge to nearly every area of American life. Football is no exception.

"Every step of the way, our focus has been on the safety of players, coaches, personnel, fans and our communities. Our planning has followed the lead of medical experts and public health officials, including the CDC, the White House Task Force, governors and state health officials. As we have developed our 2020 playbook for the return of football, safety continues to be our first priority; that commitment will remain paramount as players return to the field.

"The NFL in 2020 will not look like other years. Players and coaches will be tested for the virus regularly, including every day for a while. Preseason games have been canceled. Everyone in the team environment must follow rigorous health and safety protocols to keep themselves and each other safe. When there is a positive test, strict regulations will be enforced to isolate and care for that individual and to contain the virus before it spreads. Even the sideline will look different. And, state and local health guidelines will help determine whether fans will attend the games. These adjustments are necessary to reduce the risk for everyone involved.
Thanks to the collaboration of the players and a lot of hard work from our clubs, especially their medical and training staffs, our plans are in place for the 2020 season. Have a look inside the Rams training facility for some of these plans in action.

"Adaptability and flexibility will be needed for the foreseeable future. After all, even the best game plan changes as new challenges arise. This year’s NFL Draft is a good example that embracing change can still deliver the fun and excitement we all crave.

While this year will forever be defined by a heartbreaking global pandemic and a "transformative social justice movement, I am reminded of the tenacious, resilient spirit of our country, the NFL community, and you, the greatest fans in the world. 

"Thank you for your continued support.

"Now let’s play football,

"Roger Goodell"

The NFL and NFLPA have reached a deal that specifically prohibits players from engaging in certain behaviors in order to reduce their COVID-19 risk.

Players cannot attend indoor night clubs, indoor bars (except to pickup food), indoor house parties (with 15 or more people), indoor concerts, professional sporting events, or indoor church services that allow attendance above 25 percent of capacity.

Players can receive fines for violating these rules and would also not be paid for any games missed due to positive COVID-19 tests if they engage in prohibited activities. Future guarantees in their contracts would also be voided.

As one source said on Saturday morning, “Every player should delete social media.”

The NFL expects to spend approximately $75 million on COVID-19 tests during the 2020 season, according to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Daily.

PFT reported on Monday that BioReference Laboratories will be charging a flat fee covering up to 120 tests per team per day, with extra tests available at $125 each. The teams will pay 1/32nd of the total fee, and they will individually pay for any extra tests that they require.

The NFL and NFLPA have agreed on testing protocols with daily testing to be conducted for the first two weeks.

If the positive test rate falls below five percent, then testing will shift to every other day.

Players pushed hard for daily testing in negotations.

Doctors employed by NFL teams have told the NFLPA that it is safe for players to report to training camp despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The NFLPA has outlined some of their concerns during a Friday conference call.

NFL team doctors talked to the NFLPA on Thursday.

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said that the team doctors had “a couple reservations” about resuming work right now, but that they provided medical reasons” why their overall opinion is that it is safe to move forward at the moment.

A database run by the NFLPA shows that 72 NFL players have tested positive for COVID-19 as of July 10th.

The 72 number is difficult to put into context, because not every player in the league, or even a very large number, has been tested.

The NFLPA has made this information public on its website, which also provides players a market-by-market look at how the virus has been spreading in cities where camps are scheduled to open later this month

The NFLPA is seeking financial backing in case they decide to sit out the season.

Among the requests in the players' recent proposal to the league, according to a source involved:

• An opt-out clause for at-risk players to receive salary (but not bonuses) if they decide not to play.

• An opt-out clause for players with at-risk families to earn an accrued season and benefits if they decide not to play.

• An opt-out clause for players who leave the team after reporting (terms uncertain).

• A $250,000 stipend guaranteed to all players if they show up to camp and everything is shut down because of COVID-19 concerns. That amount rises to $500,000 if the season starts, only to be shut down.

The NFL will forbid teams from "postgame interactions within six feet of each other" after games during the 2020 season in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Jersey swaps will also be forbidden this season. 

This is a perfect example of NFL thinking in a nutshell. Players can go engage in a full contact game and do it safely. However, it is deemed unsafe for them to exchange jerseys after said game. 😂🤣😂 https://t.co/fWefsUSVDc

— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) July 9, 2020

Whether the NFL plays its 2020 season is the most important question in media with ESPN, CBS, NBC and FOX reliant on the revenues from live games.

“It’s practically the only thing on the minds of the networks,” said John Kosner, a former ESPN executive who is now an industry consultant. “If you lost an NFL season, you’re looking at a financial hemorrhage.”

A senior ESPN employee recently opined that there is no fallback plan even worth considering if the NFL doesn't play because nothing can replace the content or revenue that comes with it, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

FOX is most dependent on the NFL as it has a package for Thursday and for Sunday. FOX brought in nearly $2 billion from the NFL's games last season, not including the Super Bowl.

The NFL's broadcast agreements are set to expire in 2021 and 2022, which could be as much as a doubling of the current figures.