Teams given permission to reopen facilities
But must comply with health rulings
NFL teams may begin reopening their facilities Tuesday if state and local governments will allow it.
In a memo sent to the 32 teams Friday by Commissioner Roger Goodell and obtained by The Associated Press, he stressed that the clubs must be “in compliance with any additional public health requirements in their jurisdiction, and have implemented the protocols that were developed by (league medical officer) Dr. (Allen) Sills and distributed to all clubs on May 6.”
Facilities have been closed since late March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Each team was required to submit a plan to the league for reopening its training/practice facility this week.
“Clubs unable to meet these criteria on May 19 may reopen their facilities on the earliest date thereafter on which they are able to meet the criteria,” Goodell added.
Sills will conduct a training program for club infection control officers Monday that is required.
Already established in the openings were these protocols:
Until further notice from the NFL, teams may have no more than 50% of their staff in the facility, not to exceed 75 people. If a club wants to deploy staff to more than one location, all locations must implement the same health and safety protocols, and the combined number of employees at all locations can’t exceed 75.
No members of the coaching staff can return to the facility under the first phase of reopening. “This is important to ensure equity among all 32 clubs,” Goodell wrote.
No players may be in the facility other than those undergoing medical treatment or rehab. Strength and conditioning coaches participating in player rehab may continue that work in the facility. Otherwise, they are barred until the rest of the coaching staff is allowed to return.
Members of the personnel, football operations/football administration staff, equipment staff, medical staff and nutritionists may attend.
Former Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison, a five-time Pro Bowler, raised eyebrows Thursday when he strongly hinted Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reimbursed him for a fine the NFL levied on Harrison for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi in October 2010.
Appearing on a podcast hosted by former Steelers teammate Willie Colon, Harrison said Tomlin approached him and handed him an envelope during the aftermath of the hit, which left Massaquoi with a concussion. Harrison declined to specify what was in the envelope. Team president Art Rooney II denied any involvement by Tomlin.
“I am very certain nothing like this ever happened,” Rooney said in a statement. “I have no idea why James would make a comment like this, but there is simply no basis for believing anything like this.”
Harrison took to social media Friday to stress that whatever Tomlin did, it was not to reward the hit.
“Mike T. Has NEVER paid me for hurting someone or TRYING to hurt someone or put a bounty on ANYBODY!” Harrison wrote in a lengthy Instagram post.
RAMS: NFL owners will vote Tuesday on whether to allow the Rams the ability to borrow $500 million more than previously approved for the construction of Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium.
ROBBERY: The attorney for Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar says he has five signed affidavits from witnesses that exonerate his client in an armed robbery in Miramar, Fla.
Attorney Michael Grieco said the affidavits were presented to prosecutors in Broward County but authorities still want Dunbar to turn himself in.
Police in Miramar issued arrest warrants Thursday for Dunbar and New York Giants cornerback Deandre Baker after multiple witnesses accused them of an armed robbery at a party. Each man faces four counts of armed robbery with a firearm.
Baker’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, released a statement on Instagram.
“We understand that the officers can only base warrants on what was told to them at the time,” Cohen wrote. “We have had affidavits from several witnesses that also dispute the allegations and exculpate our client.”