Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks about the new coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on April 22, 2020. Credit: AP/Alex Brandon
Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said the NFL faces several hurdles to conduct its 2020 season due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, and that players who test positive for the illness would have to be removed from their respective teams for at least 14 days. Fauci, the director of the National Institutes for Health (NIH) since 1984, also said the league could stage games in empty stadiums or, if conditions permit, could allow some fans to attend.