Tag: COVID-19

Jaguars release a statement on how they will handle COVID-19 outbreak

The coronavirus outbreak that started across seas has made its way to the United States and several cases have been reported all throughout the nation. As a result, major sports organizations have elected to cancel or alter various events …

The coronavirus outbreak that started across seas has made its way to the United States and several cases have been reported all throughout the nation. As a result, major sports organizations have elected to cancel or alter various events indefinitely, including the NBA (who suspended their 2020 season), the NCAA basketball association (who will have their tournaments without fans), and many more.

Following the suit of their NFL comrades, the Jacksonville Jaguars and TIAA Bank Field’s event planner, Bold Events, announced that they would be implementing a plan to better protect their employees from the virus and that traveling employees had been instructed to return home to their families. While both companies will remain in business, both stated that they instructed their employees to work from home.

With the NFL Draft coming up next month, scouts and coaches in particular have been on the road, but it’s unknown which personnel members are currently away. The Jags also didn’t mention what they’d be doing about prospect meetings but news on that could surface soon.

As for league-wide news surrounding COVID-19, the NFL announced that the new league year would still occur on Wednesday, March 18. However, there hasn’t been any statements on whether or not the 2020 NFL Draft would be canceled or altered but we’ll be sure to inform you all on any new developments.

Big Ten cancels all athletic events through the end of the academic year

The move comes as the NCAA Tournament is canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic

College sports are shutting down for the time being.

In addition to the cancellation of all NCAA championships, including the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments, the Big Ten Conference has announced all conference and non-conference events will be canceled through the end of the academic year. This is all due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conference has also announced a moratorium on all recruiting events, both on-campus and off, for the foreseeable future.

The full statement released by the conference reads as follows, “The Big Ten Conference announced today that in addition to the Men’s Basketball Tournament it will be canceling all conference and non-conference competitions through the end of the academic year, including spring sports that compete beyond the academic year, and participation in all NCAA tournaments and competitions. In addition, the Conference has announced a moratorium on all on- and off-campus recruiting activities for the foreseeable future.

“The Big Ten Conference will use this time to work with the appropriate medical experts and institutional leadership to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The main priority of the Big Ten Conference continues to be the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, fans and media as we continue to monitor all developing and relevant information on the COVID-19 virus.”

The move comes as sports are being shut down across the United States and world. The NBA suspended its season after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. The MLB and MLS followed suit Thursday morning, as has professional tennis. Conference tournaments have been canceled across the country, as have high school postseason tournaments. Arizona State, Duke and Kansas were among the first college programs to shut down all athletics, essentially withdrawing from any potential tournament. The entire Atlantic Coast Conference suspended athletics mid-day Thursday, as did the Mountain West. More conference are expected to follow suit.

We will have more on this story as it develops.

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BREAKING: NCAA Tournament canceled amid coronavirus pandemic

The could be the first year without an NCAA Tournament since 1939.

What has seemed inevitable for the last half day is now official: The college basketball season is over.

The NCAA has announced that the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments have been canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NCAA announced the news in a release. It reads in full, “Today, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors canceled the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournaments, as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships. This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities.”

The move comes as sports are being shut down across the United States and world. The NBA suspended its season after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. The MLB and MLS followed suit Thursday morning, as has professional tennis. Conference tournaments have been canceled across the country, as have high school postseason tournaments. Arizona State, Duke and Kansas were among the first college programs to shut down all athletics, essentially withdrawing from any potential tournament. The entire Mountain West Conference suspended athletics mid-day Thursday. A number of schools have canceled spring athletics, including football games, practices, and recruiting efforts. Premier League matches in England have been postponed, as have Champions League matches. La Liga, Spain’s top soccer league, has suspended play as well. Italy has ceased most operations within the country, including sports.

This will be the first time the NCAA Tournament will not be played since its inception in 1939.

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NFL cancels annual owners meeting amid novel coronavirus concerns

The NFL has canceled their annual owners meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., due to concerns over the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

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The NFL announced Thursday they are canceling the upcoming annual owners meeting scheduled for March 29 through April 1.

According to a statement released by the NFL, commissioner Roger Goodell informed franchises after “careful consideration and consultation with medical experts.”

The business that was to be discussed at the owners meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., will be moved to the NFL’s spring meetings May 19-20 in Marina Del Ray, Calif. That is the first chance owners and members of the various committees will have a chance to vote on playing rules, bylaws, resolutions, and other business matters. Coaches and general managers will also be available for comment at that meeting, when normally they aren’t during the spring meetings.

The NFL also said they will, “closely monitor developments, consult with leading experts, and be prepared to make any changes necessary as circumstances warrant.”

The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has claimed the lives of 39 Americans with over 1,300 confirmed cases. The NBA, NHL, MLS, MLB, and major college sports have postponed their seasons and events in response to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Giants will limit visits, require most employees to work from home due to COVID-19

The New York Giants will limit all visits in East Rutherford and require that a majority of their employees work from home due to

The New York Giants pulled their scouts and personnel off the road on Thursday morning due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, but that will not be all.

In addition to removing their presence from the road, the Giants announced on Thursday afternoon that they will limit all visits to the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford and require that most employees work from home for the next two weeks.

“Ten days ago, we convened an internal task force to monitor the developments of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The group, led by our medical, legal and human resources departments, is responsible for communicating to our organization the latest information, advisories and protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state and local health officials and other resources,” the team said in a statement.

“As of today and for the foreseeable future, we have taken our scouts and coaches off the road for pro days and campus workouts. All business travel has been suspended until further notice. In addition, we will limit visitors and personnel to the Quest Diagnostics Training Center and have required most of our employees to work from home for the next two weeks.

“We will continue to assess our operations and procedures based on what the medical community and science dictates. Our concern and care is for those in our organization, our staff and players, and the communities in which they live.”

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Broncos giving employees option to work from home

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Denver Broncos are giving employees the option to work from home. 

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Denver Broncos are giving employees the option to work from home.

“Effective immediately and until further notice, the Broncos are allowing all employees who have the ability to work from home the option to do so,” team spokesman Patrick Smyth tweeted Thursday.

“The team is prioritizing its employees’ health, their families and the community over all operations — both football and business.”

The coronavirus has resulted in the stoppage of sports leagues around the world and the NFL announced Thursday that the league’s March meetings have been canceled. The Philadelphia Eagles have closed their facility and the Washington Redskins have canceled meetings with draft prospects.

Denver has some “football/security/facility personnel” who will continue to work at the Broncos’ facility, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. The majority of the team’s staff will be able to work from home, though.

Denver does still have some scouts on the road. That may change in the coming days. As of now, the NFL is still planning to have the new league year — and free agency — begin on Wednesday, March 18.

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Chiefs release official statement on COVID-19

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced their plans to preemptively combat the spread of the coronavirus.

The Kansas City Chiefs have released an official statement on the situation surrounding COVID-19.

The team has made the decision to take preemptive action to keep everyone out of harm’s way. Effective Monday, Mar. 16, all non-essential staff members for the Chiefs will work remotely for a minimum period of 14 days. Additionally, they’ve ceased all non-essential travel for coaches and scouts.

You can find the full statement from the Chiefs below:

We continue to closely monitor the developments related to COVID-19, and we have been actively engaged with the National Football League and its chief medical officer in an effort to take appropriate action in the face of the growing threat. The health and safety of our players, coaches, and staff is our top priority. While we have had no positive cases of coronavirus, we believe it is best to take preemptive action out of an abundance of caution and for the safety of our employees and our community.

All non-essential Chiefs personnel have been instructed to work remotely for a minimum of 14 days beginning Monday, March 16. Additionally, we have suspended business travel and all non-essential travel for our coaches and scouts for the time being as we continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19.

We will remain in close communication with the National Football League and rely on the guidance of their medical experts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization as this medical event progresses. We will take additional action as necessary as more information becomes available.

The Chiefs are following suit when it comes to taking the coronavirus threat seriously. We’ll keep you updated with all the latest and developing news on this situation as we find out more.

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Seahawks hosting free agent tight end Jordan Reed on visit

The Seattle Seahawks are reportedly hosting veteran free agent tight end Jordan Reed on a visit, despite the threat of COVID-19.

The sports world has been virtually shut down thanks to COVID-19, better known as the coronavirus, but the NFL and the Seattle Seahawks are trucking on.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Thursday the Seahawks are hosting free agent tight end Jordan Reed on a visit.

Reed would be a surprising addition considering the team’s only other signing so far was Greg Olsen, another veteran tight end.

Olsen, Dissly, and Jacob Hollister form a solid trio at the tight end position, but evidently coach Pete Carroll and company are on the hunt for more depth.

Dissly suffered a pair of season-ending injuries in each of his first two NFL seasons, and Olsen dealt with injuries in both 2017 and 2018, and just turned 35 years old, so Reed is likely being viewed as injury insurance for Seattle.

The 29-year-old hasn’t exactly been a beacon of health in his career either. He spent the entire 2019 season on injured reserve with a concussion, and missed most of the 2017 season with an injury as well.

However, he’s been very productive when healthy, racking up 329 receptions for 3,371 yards and 24 touchdowns in his six-year-career, which included a Pro Bowl appearance in 2016.

A tight end trio of Dissly, Olsen and Reed would be among the best in the NFL, assuming all three are healthy.

With six days until free agency is set to open, the Seahawks are getting a head start on their preferred targets for 2020.

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How will coronavirus impact NFL free agency and the draft?

The NFL draft figures to be impacted in a big way.

The NFL is one of the many businesses impacted by the outbreak of coronavirus. The league will be impacted in the offseason, unlike the NBA, MLS and NHL, which are all dealing with managing the virus amid an active (or suspended) regular season. But the NFL is already beginning to change their protocols and their offseason processes.

At this point in the offseason calendar, coaches and scouts are typically on the road to interview, observe and work out draft prospects. However, teams are already pulling their staffers from their typical travel schedule. There is also talk of shutting down facilities. No meetings with teams, no workouts, no pre-draft visits (a.k.a. “Top 3 visits”) and limited medical information.

After chatting with agents, coaches and scouts, here’s what may happen around the biggest events in the NFL offseason,

NFL free agency

Logistics: The NFL told For The Win that the league has “no plans to change the league year date.” At this point, the 2020 season begins on March 18, which would mark the open of NFL free agency. The tampering period opens on March 16. The NFL has made no indication they would change that date. For now, NFL free agency is on pace to happen, as scheduled.

Behind the scenes: Agents and coaches didn’t express much concern about the machinations for free agency. Contract negotiations often happen by phone. It’s growing rarer to have teams wine-and-dine elite players, as the market moves so quickly when the tampering period opens.

Once the big names go off the market, however, there’s a greater chance for stagnancy. And that may be particularly true for players with medical question marks. If teams shut down their facilities, they may not be able to conduct workouts or physicals – something that all teams prefer to do before a player officially signs. That could create a new waiting period, where teams “agree to terms” but don’t actually finalize the deal.

Owners’ meetings

Logistics: As it stands, the owners’ meetings are scheduled for March 29 to April 1. But there’s no way it happens in its typical form, a meetup in Palm Beach, Florida, which includes coaches, GMs and owners. Perhaps the league will get creative to stage a digital conference. Perhaps they’ll cancel it altogether.

Behind the scenes: Teams proposed seven rule changes for this season. Perhaps the NFL will keep its rulebook intact for 2020 by deferring to voting on those rules for the 2021 offseason.

NFL Draft

Logistics: The NFL scheduled the draft from April 23 to April 25. Don’t be surprised if the league elects to move back those dates. (More on that in a second.) The league was also planning on hosting the event in Las Vegas. And again, don’t be surprised if the physical event gets cancelled. The draft’s top prospects will probably not spend their draft night in the green room. Instead, they’ll probably watch from home. And disappointingly, no one will get to ride that draft boat to meet commissioner Roger Goodell on the stage. The NFL’s showmanship will not be on display. No one will be there to boo the commissioner when he announces the No. 1 overall pick. Instead, the NFL will probably stage a small-scale, closed event with broadcast teams covering the event remotely as the picks come in digitally.

Behind the scenes: The pre-draft process will be different. Pro Days are getting cancelled, which is notable for the players who felt they didn’t run their best 3-cone time or 40-yard dash at the combine. Injured players may not have gotten a chance to participate in any exercises at the combine. And Top 30 visits are cancelled league-wide. Those visits provide teams a chance to conduct workouts and, in some cases, full-day job interviews with the prospects. Smart players will be disappointed to have fewer chances to prove themselves to teams on the whiteboard. Players with “character flags” from the Combine may fall through the cracks. Medical information could be harder to come by. What’s more, there will be even less information available on small school prospects, late-round picks and undrafted free agents. If the information shortage is so pronounced, the league could delay the draft.

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Ravens release statement on plan to deal with the coronavirus

As sports leagues and teams deal with the coronavirus pandemic, the Baltimore Ravens said they’ll continue with CDC recommendations

As the United States and the rest of the world deal with the coronavirus (Covid-19), we’re beginning to see sports be impacted as well. Though the NFL hasn’t altered the offseason due to the outbreak yet, individual teams are being proactive.

The Baltimore Ravens are among those teams getting a jump on things, releasing a statement about how they’re currently handling the pandemic.

The Ravens organization takes this public health matter very seriously. We have implemented internal policies that align with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, which continue to evolve. We are closely monitoring every aspect of this situation, and we will adapt our procedures to remain in accordance with CDC recommendations as developments are made.

The Ravens’ statement doesn’t go into specifics on what they’re changing or if they’re canceling any travel at this time, instead just referring to the CDC recommendations which include limited social interaction and an emphasis on improved hygiene. However, several other franchises have begun to remove coaches and scouts from the road ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft as a precaution.

Still, the NFL is not currently delaying the start of the 2020 league year, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. It will begin on Wednesday, March 18 as originally scheduled.

As with any issue of this nature, things remain fluid and will likely continue to change as more information comes out. We’ll continue to update things as the NFL and Ravens alter their policies.

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