The NFL has been closely monitoring and strategizing their potential return to “business as usual” this offseason — a challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic that has shut down significant portions of the country as individual states look to push back against the virus. How exactly does a national sports league open their doors for business when various states are bottlenecked with restrictions on account of public health concerns?
We now know: slowly, deliberately and in the effort of fairness.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent out a league-wide memo yesterday to inform all 32 teams that NFL facilities are allowed to reopen this upcoming Tuesday — with plenty of fine print. Teams must be stationed in states that have begun their reopening process — and employees in the building must be limited to 75 or fewer. And of the employees that will return starting early next week, none of them are allowed to be coaches.
Goodell cites “equity among all 32 clubs” as their primary motivation from preventing coaches back in the building. With an estimated 22 clubs able to reopen their team facilities starting on Tuesday, the league is operating as necessary to make sure some teams are not left behind.
On NFL facilities starting to open next week, approximately 22 of the 32 teams would be able to open under current local rules.
— Judy Battista (@judybattista) May 15, 2020
In addition, the only players allowed back on the premises are those who are receiving rehabilitation treatment — so there will be no formal workouts or on-field sessions any time in the immediate future, either. For the Miami Dolphins, the team will be able to open their doors on Tuesday along with another estimated two-thirds of the league, with more progress expected shortly thereafter.
“I expect that additional staff, likely including coaching staff, will be allowed to return to club facilities in a relatively short time,” wrote Goodell.
You can read the complete league-wide memo here:
From the NFL to owners and presidents regarding the potential reopening of facilities amid the Coronavirus pandemic pic.twitter.com/YKpyDQaGvq
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 15, 2020