Will the NFL have full stadiums this year?

Over the last month, life inside and outside the NFL has seemingly returned to normalcy. States across the United States have partially or completely eased COVID-19 restrictions. California, known for some of the strictest restrictions, practically eased all public safety mandates this week.

What does this mean for NFL stadiums? Will seas of roaring fans surround the fields on Sundays this fall?

NFL Stadiums will be open for fans

According to USA Today, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the expectation was to have fans back in full force in September. In a press conference in May, Goodell said that 30 of the 32 NFL teams will be operating at 100 percent capacity. "We do expect full stadiums," he said.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it appears that NFL stadiums will be awash with fans this fall. While this is good news for NFL fans, they must know that this is a potentially fragile commitment.

The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to updated COVID-19 protocols for 2021 training camp and preseason, per source. How different will life by for vaccinated and unvaccinated players? From the memo that just went to clubs: pic.twitter.com/8yMPW0JBWZ

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 16, 2021

Potential Hiccups

While COVID-19 appears to be leveling off this summer, it is unclear if the winter will see a resurgence in the number of cases, which could impact stadium capacities. While this seems unlikely, it is impossible to completely rule out the possibility. Many think that if another wave arrives, it will be much smaller than the one from last year.

However, even a small resurgence could be enough to lead to a super-spreader event, like tens of thousands of people gathering to watch football games. Fans who purchase tickets this fall should know that there remains a risk that their seats could be impacted in the future by potential COVID-19 outbreaks.

Fans who purchase tickets to home games for the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, and New York Jets could be at the biggest risk of running into potential issues in the future. The cities these teams play in had the strictest restrictions during the pandemic.

However, fans who purchase tickets to home games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, and Kansas City Chiefs should feel that their seats will not be impacted. This is because the COVID-19 restrictions in the states these teams play in were the least intrusive in the country over the last year.

NFL Super Bowl

Right now, it seems that stadiums will be fully open for business this fall and NFL fans will be back in full force. However, they should be aware that there might potentially be some hiccups before the season begins this fall.