One of the most popular questions regarding the NFL’s plans to reopen the league ahead of 2020 training camps was deciphering where the teams will be practicing — many teams elect to travel outside of their regular practice facilities for their training camp dates, which provides an added layer of complexity to properly installing procedures and screenings to ensure the locker room is not exposed to the risks of COVID-19. The NFL’s solution was made apparent yesterday: the league is mandating that all teams must stay at their local team facilities in order to hold training camp.
The league sent a memo out yesterday to all 32 clubs to inform them of the decision.
And so the NFL has told all its teams that they must stay at their team facilities for this summer's training camps.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 2, 2020
For the Dolphins, nothing changes regarding the logistics of training camp. The team has held camp and practice at The Baptist Health Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida and will do so again this year — although this assumed to be the final year Miami hosts their headquarters in Davie before moving to a new team facility in Miami Gardens. The Dolphins broke ground on their new, $135 million training facility in August 2019 and are expected to host training camp there in 2021. The Dolphins’ stadium and team facility are currently a 10 mile drive up the turnpike — so consolidating the team facilities all into one location will be a big perk for the players.
But these are issues for another day; instead the Dolphins are dialed in on getting their screening procedures right to ensure that when the league does open their doors for players, Miami will be well positioned to take the “new normal” in stride regarding the admission of players onto the team facilities.
We’ll continue to learn more about the league’s timeline for such actions — although the next steps, which would include allowing coaches to return to team facilities, are expected in the very near future.