NEW YORK — The National Football League has officially canceled all preseason games for the 2020 NFL season.

While the NFLPA recommended eliminating the preseason on July 3, the league made it official today.

In a memo sent to all 32 teams, the NFL said, "to minimize the risk of travel and ensure that the regular season begins in a timely manner, the NFL has determined that no preseason games will be played this year."

In a letter to fans, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed the cancellations, saying that the "NFL in 2020 will not look like other years."

"Players and coaches will be tested for the virus regularly, including every day for a while. Preseason games have been canceled. Everyone in the team environment must follow rigorous health and safety protocols to keep themselves and each other safe. When there is a positive test, strict regulations will be enforced to isolate and care for that individual and to contain the virus before it spreads. Even the sideline will look different. And, state and local health guidelines will help determine whether fans will attend the games. These adjustments are necessary to reduce the risk for everyone involved," Goodell wrote.

As part of the agreement between the league and the players' union, players who want to opt out of the 2020 NFL season due to the coronavirus pandemic have until Aug. 3 to do so. Players who choose to opt out will receive a stipend of $150,000 for voluntary opt outs or $350,000 for medical opt outs, two people with knowledge of the decisions told the AP.

Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif became the first NFL player to publicly announce he was opting out of the 2020 NFL season when he announced his decision on social media on Friday, July 24. 

Duvernay-Tardif, the only active NFL player with a medical doctorate, said his experience working in a long-term care facility in Canada during the offseason informed his decision to skip the season.

"Being at the frontline during this offseason has given me a different perspective on this pandemic and the stress it puts on individuals and our healthcare system. I cannot allow myself to potentially transmit the virus in our communities simply to play the sport that I love. If I am to take risks, I will do it caring for patients," Duvernay-Tardif wrote on Twitter.

The 2020 NFL season is set to kick off on Sept. 10 when the Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl champions, host the Houston Texans.