New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Monday limiting outdoor gatherings in the state “until further notice,” which means the New York Giants and New York Jets will be forced to play in an empty MetLife Stadium this fall and potentially beyond.
“Governor Murphy announced that, due to the ongoing public health crisis, his Executive Order limiting outdoor public gatherings will apply to events at MetLife Stadium until further notice. This decision was reached after careful consideration of the current state of the COVID-19 crisis, in discussions with the Giants and Jets, and in consideration of the health and safety of our fans, players and staff, which will continue to be the primary focus for our teams,” the Giants and Jets said in a joint statement.
“We support Governor Murphy’s decision in the interest of public health and safety and, until circumstances change, both the Giants and Jets will play our games without the benefit of fans in attendance. Although we would prefer to have fans at MetLife Stadium for our games, we will continue to work with Governor Murphy’s office and will provide updates if necessary.”
In accordance with the executive order, the Giants also announced that they would not allow fans to attend training camp practices this year.
However, the organization remains hopeful that at some point later this season, restrictions will be lifted and they’ll be able to welcome Big Blue fans back into MetLife Stadium.
The NFL has announced that any fans attending games in 2020 will be required to wear face coverings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, which would be a small price for anyone determined to watch their favorite team this year.
