The NFL and NFLPA worked through one of the most important remaining issues ahead of the season on Monday afternoon. That issue, of course, was the testing protocols in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Players didn’t know what testing would look like at training camp and into the 2020 NFL season, but now they have a complete plan of action in front of them. Specifically, one that is mutually agreed upon by the NFL and the NFLPA. These new protocols will go into effect immediately and expands screening through the first four days of training camp rather than the first two days under the previous system.
The final testing protocol agreed to by the NFL and NFLPA extends the initial screening timeline, I’m told:
Players will be tested on Days 1 and 4 of camp, with two days of remote education in between. Waiting another day helps make sure to capture the virus as it incubates.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 20, 2020
As the Kansas City Chiefs were one of the first teams to have players report to training camp, these newly adopted protocols impact the information we’ve already been told. The schedule that Andy Reid laid out for reporters on Monday afternoon is no longer what will happen in Kansas City.
The rookies for both the #texans and the #chiefs that reported today and took a COVID test will now take their second test Thursday, not Tuesday. When both tests are back negitive, then a physical can be taken.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) July 20, 2020
Chiefs rookies won’t begin taking physicals and getting fitted for equipment until Friday under the new screening schedule. That’s just one day before veterans are scheduled to report to training camp. Those veteran players will need to go through the four days of combined testing and education as well.
Beginning on the fifth day of training camp, NFL players will be tested for the virus daily. Daily tests will last for two weeks at which point testing will be determined by the positivity rate among all NFL players. If the league can stay below a 5% threshold, testing will only happen every other day.
A memo that just went out outlining COVID-19 testing pic.twitter.com/RnJHRXQOKA
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 20, 2020
The NFL is also intending to issue a tracking device that can help monitor player contacts precisely. That should help answer the question of who comes into contact with whom. This will be important for contact tracing in the event of a positive test in a locker room.
The NFLPA issued the following statement on the new protocols:
“Our union has been pushing for the strongest testing and tracing protocols to keep our players safe. The testing protocols we agreed to are one critical factor that will help us return to work safely and gives us the best chance to play and finish the season.”
All in all, this is a positive step toward NFL football happening in 2020. While there are some still some outstanding items to be ironed out, this agreement likely has both sides much more amicable toward getting issues resolved posthaste.
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