ESPN reports that a league memo directs team facilities to be closely regulated, with only some team personnel allowed in certain areas.
As society gradually re-opens during the COVID-19 pandemic despite soaring infection and positive rates in many states, new rules have been imposed at most places of business in order to limit interpersonal contact, minimize high numbers of people in confined spaces, and restrict individuals from being in places deemed unnecessary to them. One-way aisles at the grocery store, rolling headcounts, additional ID checks, and designated zones for certain people or activities have become the new normal.
With the NFL continuing to move toward an on-time start to the 2020 season, look for many similar procedures to be put into place at the 32 team facilities across the league, including The Star in Frisco, home of the Cowboys.
According to a memo sent to all teams and obtained by ESPN, the league is mandating each club develop its own response plan- complete with detailed protocols and personnel “tiers” that will dictate who can go where in places that include the locker room, training room, sidelines, and practice fields. Even for team employees, there are apparently no all-access passes inside the facility.
“Teams must assign tiers to all their employees, who wear a tiered photograph credential to spell out their access,” reports NFL insider Adam Schefter. “NFL teams must designate their Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 employees and turn the plans into the league office seven days before the first mandatory reporting date for players for the 2020 NFL season.”
That exact reporting date remains unknown, but Schefter notes that 26 teams are scheduled to begin their training camps on July 28.
As per ESPN’s summary of the memo:
“Tier 1 will consist of players, coaches, trainers, physicians and necessary personnel who must have direct access to the players.
“Tier 2 will consist of general managers, football operations employees, other assistant coaches, video personnel, security and other essential personnel who may need to be in close proximity to the players and other Tier 1 individuals who may need to access restricted areas. Only individuals assigned to Tiers 1 and 2 will be permitted access to restricted areas, and there will be limits on the number of individuals from each team that can be assigned Tier 1 and Tier 2 access at any given time.
“Tier 3 will consist of certain operational personnel, in-house media and broadcast personnel, field manager, transportation providers and individuals who perform essential facility, stadium or event services but do not require close contact with Tier 1 individuals. Team and other personnel who work exclusively in areas of team facilities that are or will be completely cordoned off from the rest of the facility do not need to be credentialed in one of the three access tiers.”
Schefter, citing sources, explains that “there already have been heated discussions within teams as to who ends up in which tier as the teams’ personnel try to cement their positions in the protocol.”
This latest tier system is the latest step in players and support staffs returning to their facilities, as coaches have already been allowed back in the buildings. Guidelines for social distancing, cleaning, and the use of personal masks have already been spelled out for teams.
The ESPN report points out that each team’s Infectious Disease Emergency Response (IDER) “will be subject to review and approval by the NFL, NFLPA, and the Infection Control for Sports, formerly known as the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network.” Also, the network states, “The NFL and NFLPA say they may perform surprise inspections of sites to ensure compliance with the protocols.”
Of course, the creation of 32 IDER plans may be little more than a massive exercise in futility, as many health professionals continue to cast serious doubt on the likelihood (and certainly the wisdom) of even having a football season.
The NFLPA’s medical director has already advised that players refrain from gathering for private workouts with teammates or voluntary joint practices before the start of training camp.
Even some players are now publicly expressing skepticism about the NFL’s optimistic timeline.
“I think everybody’s nervous, because the norm is that we just go to work,” Devin McCourty of the New England Patriots told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “We put in a lot of work, we bond together, we lift, we’re in close quarters. It feels like that’s all being taken away from us, so I don’t know how to react. I don’t know what’s it’s going to be.”
“When you think about the future, if it’s hard for 10 guys just to get together to do little passing drills or anything of that nature, to think about somewhere between 53 and 90 guys in a training camp, it’s going to be insane. So I don’t know how that’s going to turn out,” his brother (and teammate) Jason McCourty added.
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward feels that the first game of the 2020 preseason, set to be played August 6 between the Steelers and Cowboys, is a bad idea.
“It’s just my point of view,” Heyward told the Tribune-Review. “But I think the Hall of Fame Game is probably out. We talk so much about safety. Why would we want to expose two teams to an extra game a week early?”
On June 15, it was revealed that Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has tested positive for the coronavirus, along with at least one other Dallas player.
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