2021 NFL schedule release coming after draft?

The delay theoretically allows for more football fans to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots and for infection rates to hopefully drop before the league can boast of plans to have thousands of people gather inside stadiums and potentially travel for road matchups. On Wednesday, the NFL announced that two million COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered at league vaccination sites this year. 

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills have declared they intend to make fans prove they're vaccinated against the coronavirus to attend games in 2021. It's expected at least some other teams will embrace versions of so-called "vaccine passports" between now and August preseason contests. 

The NFL pushing schedule releases past the draft could become an annual occurrence in an attempt to offer football fans a significant event at a time when the country's most popular sport is often out of sight and out of mind.