Goodell hopeful for on-time start as facilities open
The NFL is extending its virtual offseason by at least two weeks but commissioner Roger Goodell was hopeful that coaches would be allowed back in team facilities by next week.
Goodell sent a memo to all NFL coaches, general managers, team presidents and other executives Thursday afternoon informing them of protocols for the next phase of reopening team facilities.
Goodell also said that he hopes to have the season begin on time, but the league is preparing for all scenarios. He characterized a safe return to football activities, including training camp and games, as the league’s “highest priority.”
Currently, coaches aren’t allowed at team facilities and only players rehabbing from an injury can be present.
NFL teams, including the Texans, previously reopened their facilities on a limited basis. The Texans’ soft reopening included less than 10 people at NRG Stadium.
NFL teams are required to be in compliance with protocols established by chief medical officer Dr. Allan Sills. If there are any instances of the novel coronavirus, teams must report it immediately to Sills.
Starting on Monday, NFL teams may reopen ticket officers, retail shops and other customer-facing facilities as long as they’re in compliance with state and local regulations.
Also Thursday, the league tabled a proposal submitted by the Philadelphia Eagles that would have granted teams an alternative to onside kicks.
The proposal would have given teams two opportunities to replace a kickoff with an offensive down from their 25-yard line after a score. If they gained 15 yards, they would retain possession. Otherwise, they would turn it over to the defense.
“We said: ‘For those who are otherwise opposed, we’re going to go back and talk about it and see if this is something that we could address in the future,” Competition committee chairman Rich McKay of the Falcons said. “Rules like this that are substantial in nature, they typically take some time, and this is one of the reasons, because people will raise questions and say, ‘Why?’ and ‘Explain,’ and you’ve got to come back with answers.”
Meanwhile, the league approved preseason experiment allowing expanded communication between referees and the replay booth, expanded defenseless player protection to kickoff and punt returners and permanently expanded replay into scoring plays or turnover nullified by a penalty.
The league has increased the number of players who can be designated for return from injured reserve to three players, up from a previous two-player limit.