The NFL announced a slate of important dates for fans to know on the 2019-2020 calendar.
While some of these dates are subject to change, here are several important ones to mark down:
July
July 15: At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2019 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club's last regular season game.
Mid-July: Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies and first-year players beginning seven days prior to the club's earliest permissible mandatory reporting date for veteran players. Veteran players (defined as a player with at least one pension-credited season) other than quarterbacks or "injured players" (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may report to a club's preseason training camp no earlier than 15 days prior to the club's first scheduled preseason game or July 15, whichever is later. Veteran quarterbacks and injured players may be required to report to the club's preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies and first-year players. A three-day acclimation period will apply to players who are on a club's roster up to and including the mandatory veteran reporting date. Players who rejoin the roster after that date may practice (including wearing pads) and play immediately after passing a physical.
July 25: The Chargers open 2019 training camp at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, Calif.
August
August 1-4: Hall of Fame Weekend, Canton, Ohio.
August 31: Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List. Simultaneously with the cut-down to 53, clubs that have players in the categories of Active/Physically Unable to Perform or Active/Non-Football Injury or Illness must select one of the following options: place player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; request waivers; terminate contract; trade contract; or continue to count the player on the Active List.
September
September 1: Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 12:00 noon, New York time. Upon receipt of the Personnel Notice at approximately 1:00 p.m., New York time, clubs may establish a Practice Squad of 10 players (clubs participating in the International Player Development Program may sign one additional international player to a Practice Player Contract.) No club, including the player's prior club, will be permitted to sign a player to a Practice Player Contract until all clubs have received simultaneous notification via the above Personnel Notice that such player's prior NFL player contract has been terminated via the waiver system.
September 8: The Bolts kick off Week 1 of the 2019 season at home against the Indianapolis Colts.
September 24: Beginning on the Tuesday following the third weekend of regular season games, the claiming priority is based on the inverse order of the standing of clubs in the current season's games.
Take an exclusive look behind the scenes at your Bolts participating in this year's promo day.
October
Mid-October: At any time after six weeks have elapsed since a player was placed on Reserve/Injured or Reserve/Non-Football Injury/Illness, each club is permitted to designate two players for return from either list to the club's 53-player Active/Inactive List. A player who is "Designated For Return" must have suffered a major football-related injury or non-football-related injury or illness after reporting to training camp and passing his preseason physical examination and must have been placed on the applicable Reserve List after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the day after the final roster reduction.
October 15-16: Fall League Meeting, New York, New York.
October 29: All trading ends for 2019 at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
November
November 18: NFL Mexico Series, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Estadio Azteca.
December
December 12: League Meeting, Las Colinas, Texas.
December 30: Earliest permissible date for clubs to renegotiate or extend the rookie contract of a drafted rookie who was selected in any round of the 2017 NFL Draft or any undrafted rookie signed in 2018. Any permissible renegotiated or extended player contract will not be considered a rookie contract and will not be subject to the rules that limit rookie contracts. Option exercise period begins for Fifth-Year Option for First-Round Selections from the 2017 NFL Draft. To exercise the option, the club must give written notice to the player on or after December 30, 2019, but prior to May 5, 2020.
January
January 4-5: Wild Card Playoffs.
January 11-12: Divisional Playoffs.
January 18: East-West Shrine Game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida.
January 19: AFC and NFC Championship Games.
January 25: Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.
January 26: NFL Pro Bowl, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida.
February
February 2: Super Bowl LIV, Hard Rock Stadium, South Florida.
February 24-March 2: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
February 25: First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
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