09/09/2021 7:01
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 09/09/2021 7:01 AM
Tonight, when the match between the Argentine National Team and Bolivia for the South American Qualifiers is being played at the Monumental, in the United States and much of the world the attention will be on the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, with the start of the 2022 season of the NFL and the initial kick off that the Dallas Cowboys will give in their visit to the 2020 champions, Tom Brady's Buccaneers.
It won't be another year for the most popular sport in North America. The coronavirus affected last season from beginning to end, not only due to the lack of public in the stadiums (only at the end was a reduced capacity authorized) but also because of the way in which the covid-19 altered the almanac and caused last-minute casualties. moment in many franchises. In addition, a good number of players chose not to play due to the fear of getting infected or not to submit to the strict sanitary protocol that included wristbands with GPS tracking and fines above 100,000 dollars.
Even though the Delta variant is wreaking havoc on American soil, the NFL is aiming to put the coronavirus behind in this season reboot.
The 32 teams have already announced that they will have one hundred percent availability of their seats and the controversy in recent weeks had to do
with those athletes who do not want to receive the covid-19 vaccine
.
In that sense, the union that represents them banned that position and the reaction of the league was to determine that non-inoculated athletes receive "special treatment" and are obliged to comply with the protocols in force last season: use of masks, quarantines, constant swabs and more.
Cole Beasley of the Buffalo Bulls questioned the measure and spoke of discrimination.
Cam Newton had a poor season at the Patriots and they cut him just days before the start of the season.
He is one of those who chose not to get vaccinated.
Photo: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports.
This conflict generated internal risks in some teams.
QB
Cam Newton
, elected MVP in 2015, was unexpectedly cut by the New England Patriots and it is speculated that his decision not to get vaccinated influenced the decision of Bill Belichik, the veteran coach, of the most winners in the history.
Others, like the receiver also of the Bills,
Isaiah McKenzie
, chose to give in and get vaccinated "for the common good," as he clarified on his social networks.
The data is encouraging: it is estimated that more than 90 percent of the players have already received at least one dose of the vaccine.
But the risk exists.
Patrick Mahomes, present in the last two Superbowls, with mixed luck, is a serious candidate to celebrate in February.
Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images / AFP.
Players are not required to be vaccinated
but many of the fans who want to come and see them are
.
In cities with stricter laws on the management of the pandemic, a vaccination certificate or PCR tests with a negative result will be required.
"We will do everything possible so that our fans are safe in the stadiums. They want to return, it is what we hear most often. We can see it in ticket sales,
they want to be part of that collective experience
," he expressed optimistically. league commissioner
Roger Goodell
on NFL Network.
With 15 years in his position at the head of the most powerful sports league in the world, Goodell has just closed a juicy contract with TV that begins in 2023:
110,000 million dollars for 10 years
, adding Amazon in the distribution of transmissions .
The "Hammer", as they call it, closed that bizarre figure in the middle of the pandemic and doubling the figure they received up to now.
Nothing bad.
Starts the game
One of the charms of American football is the competitiveness that dominates the NFL, which this year will feature 18 new dates (weeks or weeks) in the regular season,
one more game of the 17 that had been played since 1978
.
The salary cap and the draft feed that parity, so good financial engineering or the ingenuity of a good manager with a medium and long-term look are more important than the arm of a superstar.
All of this was demonstrated last season.
The immense Tom Brady left his comfort zone of the New England Patriots, where he had won six Superbowl rings, to join the ailing Tampa Bay.
February 2021. Tom Brady holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy, his eighth NFL title, this time with Tampa Bay.
Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.
At 43, the husband of Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen put aside a few million in his annual salary to surround himself with good players, capable of catching his passes
and protecting him from rival defenses
.
To the surprise of many who considered him in "retirement" plan, Brady ended up crowning champion once again, demonstrating why he is one of the greatest athletes in history.
Tonight, TB12 returns to the court to start its 20th season in the NFL, and
the Tampa are candidates to repeat the ring
since they managed to keep all their figures.
Across from them will be the Dallas Cowboys, "America's team," named for their popularity, which will feature the return of quarterback
Dak Prescott
, who suffered a serious injury just beginning last season.
The game will be seen on Star +, ESPN3 and ESPN Extra from 9 pm
.
A while before, the singer Ed Sheeran will give a show to give him the opening party framework according to the taste of American football fans, those who wait for this day as if it were the start of an Olympic Game or a World Cup.
The candidates, "the" rookie and a Chilean
In the National conference, along with Tampa, the Green Bay Packers of the historic
Aaron Rodgers
(who threatened to leave and stay one more year in the franchise), along with the Rams, the 49ers, the Seahawks or the Chargers, promise to take a a place for the Superbowl LVI, which will take place on February 13 at the imposing SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which opened a year ago
and at a cost of 5 billion dollars.
Green Bay Packers leader Aaron Rodgers came close to leaving the team where he was champion in 2010. Photo: AP Photo / Jeffrey Phelps, File.
In the American conference, the fight promises to be tougher, with
Patrik Mahomes
' Kansas City Chiefs
(champions in 2019 and finalists in 2020), the Buffalo Bills, the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns, in a very close fight to which several weight contenders can be added.
But outside of the title candidates, eyes will also be on the rookie quarterback
Trevor Lawrence
, the new darling of the NFL, chosen in the 1st place of the Draft by the Jacksonville, a team with few aspirations but that works. in the future polishing the star who will have the mission of leading them in a few years.
And in South America the attention will also be focused on the performance of
Sammis Reyes
, a Chilean who played college basketball in the United States, a fan of Ginobili and who represented his country at the national team level, until he accepted the advice of his coaches and was encouraged to try football.
He did a test and the Washington Football Team gave him the "ok" by offering him an important contract and adding him to their roster as a "tight end", a position that will have him as a constant protagonist.
To follow him on TV
All NFL Week 1 games will go live on Star + as the main stream.
In addition, Thursday's can be followed by ESPN3 and ESPN Extra, and both Sunday and Monday will be seen on ESPN2 and ESPN Extra.
Thursday 9
21:00.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
vs.
Dallas Cowboys
.
TV: Star + / ESPN3 / ESPN Extra.
Sunday 12
14:00.
NFL Red Zone
(follow all games simultaneously).
TV: Star + / ESPN Extra.
21:00.
Los Angeles Rams
vs.
Chicago Bears
.
TV: ESPN2 / ESPN Extra.
Monday 13
21:00.
Las Vegas Raiders
vs.
Baltimore Ravens
.
TV: Star + / ESPN2 / ESPN Extra
Look also
The NFL fined a team 10 million dollars for sexual harassment of its cheerleaders and employees
Controversial position of an NFL star who refuses to be vaccinated against covid: "Get away from me"
Trevor Lawrence, Draft No. 1 Who Married His First Love And Is Already Making Millions: The Story Of The NFL's New Darling Boy
