State Governors: Too Early to Tell Whether NFL Season Starts on Time

President Donald Trump held a conference call Saturday with leaders from 13 major sports leagues and shared his hope for the NFL season to start on time in September.

Trump echoed that sentiment at a later news conference where he said he wants all sports operating as soon as possible once the coronavirus pandemic subsides.

"I want fans back in the arenas," Trump told reporters at the news conference. "By whenever we're ready, as soon as we can. And the fans want to be back, too."

Trump reportedly said on the conference call that he wants fans to attend games again by August or September. But whether that's possible depends on how the COVID-19 pandemic evolves over the next few months. 

Since Trump's statements, multiple governors have expressed concern that the fall may be too early for fans and games to return to stadiums. California Gov. Gavin Newsom reacted quickly on Saturday afternoon during his daily news briefing to say he does not think NFL teams in his state will play this fall.

"I'm not anticipating that happening in this state," Newsom said. "Our decision...will be determined by the facts, will be determined by the health experts, will be determined by our capacity to meet this moment, bend the curve and have the appropriate community surveillance and testing to confidently determine whether that's appropriate."

On Sunday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker shared similar worries on CNN's State of the Union.

"The Bears are a great team, whether they're playing or not, but I will say this: It's not up to us," Pritzker said. "We don't know. None of us really knows. The truth is that no one predicts now that we're going to have a treatment any time in the new few weeks or even in the next month, and no one really knows if we'll have it by September."

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine became the latest state leader to weigh on during an appearance on 850 ESPN Cleveland on Monday. DeWine addressed whether or not NFL teams could play in September.

"I just don't know. I don't know where we’re going to be and I don't think anybody really knows," he said. "Theoretically, it's certainly possible that with some significant testing, you could put players on the field long before you could put people in the stands."

Every state that's home to an NFL team is currently under some sort of stay-at-home order, a tactic that aims to slow the spread of the virus. It remains unclear when the coronavirus will subside in the U.S., allowing people and businesses to return to their normal routines. The NFL and all other major U.S. sports leagues have either suspended or postponed their seasons until further notice during the pandemic.

There are more than 1,356,00 confirmed cases of the coronavirus globally in at least 184 countries.