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The NFL continues to work on ways to make training camp this summer and the regular season itself safe for players and personnel amid the coronavirus pandemic.
One of those steps is testing out new equipment alterations that help protect players from COVID-19, such as the new Oakley Mouth Shield.
While masks are a non-football preventative measure, it was only a matter of time before innovation made its way to the NFL landscape in an effort to protect players.
The NFL will test these new innovations in the coming weeks as camps get ready to start, though it appears Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon isn’t a fan of the idea:
Y’all might as well have a pump of santitizers coming out of our uniforms too while y’all at it🤦🏽♂️ I won’t wear it🤷🏽♂️ https://t.co/xrfV6ImjWH
— ⚡️Primetime!!!⚡️ (@Joe_MainMixon) July 13, 2020
Players will surely have plenty to say about some of these innovations once camps get going. On paper, it’s not hard to see why players might be wary of potentially reduced airflow while on the field of play.
Either way, this won’t be the last bit of innovation that emerges ahead of an odd season. The NBA, after all, is playing in a bubble and teams like the Bengals will limit attendance numbers at home games while imposing masking and social distancing rules.
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