NFL to Hold Training Camps for Teams at Home Facilities
The NFL season is less than 100 days away at this point in time. We’ve gotten through the offseason, from free agency to the NFL Draft to unsigned free agents with relatively little problem. Sure, the draft was held virtually but that didn’t stop fans from tuning in on television in droves to watch teams pick their potential next set of stars. Teams have even gotten through the first round of OTAs, though those too, were done virtually. Team facilities opened up for most teams in the later stages of May and now that leads to the next big thing on the calendar for teams: training camp.
As it stands, the league has handed down directives about how teams can conduct training camps this season in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a memo sent by commissioner Roger Goodell, teams must conduct training camps at their main practice facility, which normally is right near their home stadium. That means there will be no traveling to another location for camp this season. In addition, teams are unable to conduct joint practices with other teams, which will take that potential chance to work against someone else out of the equation. As a point of contrast, 10 teams held training camp away from their main facility last season. Goodell said that the NFLPA was in favor of the decisions that were made by the league:
"The NFLPA was strongly in favor of these two decisions, which were made to limit exposure risks by avoiding the need for clubs to clean and maintain two facilities, by limiting the need for players and club staffs to travel to another location (sometimes located at a considerable distance from the home facility), and by limiting travel and contact between players on different clubs in the context of joint practices. These steps are being taken for the 2020 preseason to address the current conditions and are not expected to be in place in 2021."
At this point in time, players that are healthy are expected to not be allowed to return to the team facilities until training camp. Teams will likely start reporting in late July with the Cowboys and Steelers expected to be the first teams to do so as they meet in the Hall of Fame Game to open preseason action on August 6.
The reopening of team facilities continues to be a tiered process. At this stage, coaches are not allowed in the facilities and only players that were injured before the COVID-19 pandemic can go there to rehabilitate injuries. On Monday, ticket offices, retail shops and other customer-oriented parts of team facilities were able to open as long as they complied with state and local laws at that time.
While the restructuring of where teams will practice could cause some issues as far as getting the logistics figured out, at least we still have the potential for the season to still unfold. As it stands, the league is looking at the 2020 season as business as usual on the field and in everything that leads up to it. While switching training camp venues could be an inconvenience, the league and the players association are making a smart move as they look to get things together for what everyone hopes is a successful 2020 campaign.