The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the NFL offseason last year, leading to a completely virtual free agency period, a virtual NFL draft and a virtual offseason before training camp. Based on what we know right now, it would appear that the upcoming 2021 offseason will look similar.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith told player agents that the potential for widespread COVID-19 vaccinations for players has “no rosy outlook” and that the offseason of OTAs and minicamps will likely again be virtual in 2021.
All COVID-related adjustments to work rules in the 2020 offseason were collectively bargained between the NFL and NFLPA and the expectation is that'll happen again in 2021. They'll make an assessment in March and April and proceed from there, Smith said.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 19, 2021
The league and the players’ association will have to collectively bargain the terms of the offseason for adjustments due to the pandemic and that will likely happen in the spring.
More than 12 million vaccines have been administered so fair nationwide but here in Arizona they are still only being limited to certain prioritized groups like healthcare workers, K-12 educators and those age 75 and older. Other frontline groups in essential workforces still have not been vaccinated.
The NFL combine will be virtual this year and the NFL draft will likely be held like it was last year.
While there was perhaps hope and optimism that 2021 would mark a return to normalcy in the NFL, things still have not reached that point.
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