Packed MetLife possible for Sept.

Imagine the Giants or Jets, playing their 2021 season opener at MetLife Stadium, in front of a capacity crowd, more than 80,000 fans decked out in the colors of the home team, letting out more than one year’s worth of emotion as they finally get to watch their beloved team play, in person.

It could happen by September. “I’d say the prospects are pretty good,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday, a much-needed tone of optimism amid the slowing but ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The entire NFL schedule, including days and times for Giants and Jets games, will be revealed Wednesday. The first Sunday of the 2021 NFL season is Sept. 12.

Amid coronavirus restrictions, no fans attended any Giants or Jets home games in 2020. If positive tests for COVID-19 and hospitalizations continue to stay at the lower levels currently seen in New Jersey, the gates may be opened and fans will be able to flow into MetLife Stadium. Last Friday, New Jersey announced large outdoor venues can increase their capacity to 50 percent.

“If we blow through our objectives, there’s a lot higher likelihood the Jets and Giants can sell more tickets,” Murphy said.

It is too early to tell if social distancing guidelines — staying 6 feet apart — will be in effect this season, as numbers of vaccinated people continue to rise. If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not lift social distancing guidelines, it likely will limit how many fans are allowed in to watch football at MetLife Stadium.

“Could you sit beside someone who is not in your family or your bubble?” Murphy said. “Too early to tell, but there’s a good shot.”