The opening of the NFL season last weekend represented a milestone of sorts for sports. The NFL was one of the last major professional sports leagues to get back into action in the Covid-19 world. With lockdowns beginning last March in Europe and Asia and then spreading to the United States and elsewhere, sports leagues worldwide paused as the virus fanned out, and the cancellation of games cost leagues billions of dollars. The road back, starting in early May with soccer in Germany, seemed fraught with peril, as critics—including sportswriters, medical experts, players, and politicians—warned that it was dangerous and irresponsible to start up again. Since then, the coronavirus has loomed heavily over the coverage of pro sports, with practically every case of a player testing positive making headlines.
