The New York Giants were scheduled to open their offseason workout program on April 6, which would have provided Joe Judge the first opportunity to work with his players since being hired as head coach.
That will not happen.
In a joint statement, the NFL and NFLPA announced on Monday afternoon that the entire offseason schedule with the exception of free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft had been postponed indefinitely.
“Based on the most recent guidance provided by leading health officials, and in consultation with the NFLPA and both our and the union’s medical advisors, we believe this is the appropriate way to protect the health of our players, staff, and our communities. We will continue to make decisions based on the best advice from medical and public health experts and will be prepared to make further modifications as needed,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said.
“It is our responsibility to work together and protect the health, safety and well being of everyone in our business. Nonetheless, public safety is paramount during this national emergency and we will continue to work with the NFL, medical experts and seek guidance from federal agencies to adjust our business practices accordingly,” NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith added.
The statement also noted that, “the parties will periodically meet and reassess the public health situation to determine an appropriate start date for any offseason team activities and other related considerations as this situation develops.”
How far into the offseason this new mandate will extend is unclear at the moment and at the mercy of the coronavirus spread/prevention. The only certainty is that Judge will have to wait that much longer to get his head coaching career underway.
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