2020 football news
Here are some of the top football news stories from 2020:
NFL News
- Tom Brady leaves Patriots, joins Buccaneers: In March, Tom Brady announced that he would be leaving the New England Patriots after 20 seasons to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Kirk Cousins signs record deal with Vikings: In March, Kirk Cousins signed a two-year, $66 million contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
- Deshaun Watson signs four-year extension with Texans: In September, Deshaun Watson signed a four-year, $156 million contract extension with the Houston Texans, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league.
- Colin Kaepernick workout with Dolphins ends abruptly: In November, Colin Kaepernick held a workout with the Miami Dolphins, but the session ended abruptly after the team's coach, Brian Flores, left the field without speaking to Kaepernick.
College Football News
- LSU wins national championship: In January, the LSU Tigers won their fourth national championship in school history, defeating Clemson 42-25 in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
- Ohio State's Justin Fields wins Heisman Trophy: In December, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields won the Heisman Trophy, beating out finalists Trevor Lawrence and Chase Young.
- Trevor Lawrence announces he will return to Clemson: In December, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence announced that he would be returning to the Tigers for his junior season, rather than entering the NFL draft.
- Pac-12 cancels football season: In August, the Pac-12 Conference announced that it would be canceling its football season due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
International Football News
- Euro 2020 postponed to 2021: In March, UEFA announced that the 2020 European Championship would be postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Lionel Messi wins seventh Ballon d'Or: In December, Lionel Messi won his seventh Ballon d'Or award, beating out finalists Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski.
- Kylian Mbappé signs new contract with PSG: In September, Kylian Mbappé signed a new three-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, making him one of the highest-paid players in the world.
- Manchester City banned from Champions League: In February, Manchester City was banned from the Champions League for two seasons due to a breach of Financial Fair Play regulations.
Other News
- NFL players protest during national anthem: Throughout the season, several NFL players continued to protest during the national anthem, drawing both praise and criticism from fans and politicians.
- COVID-19 pandemic affects football schedules: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the football season, with many games being postponed or rescheduled due to outbreaks and quarantines.
- XFL suspends operations: In March, the XFL suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing financial difficulties and uncertainty about the future of the league.
- College football players opt out of season: Several college football players opted out of the season due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, including players from top programs like Alabama and Ohio State.