What would happen if an NFL player died from the coronavirus? Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Would a coronavirus-related death cancel the NFL season?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jul 10, 2020 6:35 PM ET

It's the question that had to be asked because it's on the minds of NFL players this summer.

As noted earlier on Friday, NFL Players Association Senior Director of Player Affairs Don Davis spoke with union members during a call and touched upon a variety of subjects, such as what agreements exist to protect individuals who choose to opt-out of returning to clubs amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic.

Later in the day, NFL insider Josina Anderson tweeted that there's no exact answer for what happens if a player dies from COVID-19. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will react as he deems fit per current protocols:

A question was asked what happens if an NFL player dies because of CoVID. NFLPA answers on current player call that they've pressed that question with the NFL and replies have been that "it's Roger's call." Question was characterized as "the question," per source.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) July 10, 2020

No active player among any of the so-called "top four" North American professional leagues has died from the coronavirus as of July 10. Handfuls of athletes from those competitions, Major League Soccer, the UFC, and other organizations have tested positive and recovered since March.

Guidelines and data from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest coaches, assistants, and other staff members are more high-risk for COVID-19 than players who have no preexisting conditions. For example, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll turns 69 years old in September. That said, there have been many notable cases where healthy, active, young people with no pre-existing health conditions have died from the virus as well.

The CDC noted on June 25:

8 out of 10 COVID-19-related deaths reported in the United States have been among adults aged 65 years and older.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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