Players to undergo COVID-19 testing daily
Agreement comes after Twitter push by Watt and others; more rules revealed
The NFL and the NFL Players Association reached a compromise Monday to conduct daily testing for COVID-19 during training camp.
Several high-profile NFL players, including Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, quarterback Deshaun Watson and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, voiced their frustrations Sunday during an orchestrated social media campaign about the league’s original plan to test every other day.
One day later, the NFL and the players’ union struck a deal to test once a day for the first two weeks of training camp. After the first two weeks, they’ll shift to testing every other day if fewer than 5 percent of players test positive. If positive tests exceed 5 percent, daily testing will continue.
“Our union has been pushing for the strongest testing, tracing and treatment protocols to keep our players safe,” the NFLPA said in a statement. “The testing protocols we agreed to are one critical factor that will help us return to work safely and give us the best chance to play and finish the season.”
Texans and Chiefs rookies reported for training camp Monday, with testing for COVID-19 starting. The teams have a small group of players and staff in their respective facilities. Players, coaches and other staffers are required to initially test negative twice within a fiveday span upon reporting to camp before being allowed to enter team facilities.
Players who test positive with no symptoms can return to team facilities 10 days after an initial positive test or if they test negative twice in a row within five days of the initial positive test.
A player with a positive test and symptoms can return no sooner than 10 days after symptoms started and three days after the symptoms have stopped.
Players who come into close contact with someone who tests positive will need two negative tests before being allowed to return to team facilities.
BioReference Laboratories is handling all sample collection and analysis with a designated testing site at each club facility, including that of the Texans. A PCR test for the COVID-19 virus will be conducted by nasal swab, and an antibody test for COVID-19 antibodies will be conducted by blood sample.
Players who have either tested positive and recovered or tested positive for antibodies will undergo further cardiac screening. If a player has a mild symptomatic infection, he is required to complete a minimum three-day progressive exercise protocol under team medical staff supervision with clinical monitoring.
A player with moderate to severe infection must complete a progressive exercise protocol for a recommended seven days or equal to twice the duration of the hospitalization.
After a positive test, a player will not have access to club facilities, and he can’t travel or have direct contact with team employees other than medical staff.
Players are required to wear proximity recording devices during team activities, with the data utilized to create contact tracing information. Kinexon Proximity Recording devices will be used to identify in-game close contacts
During team activities, including at team facilities and practice fields and during travel, Kinexon Proximity Recording devices must be worn.
Clubs will notify the proper health authorities of any positive tests as required by the applicable local regulations and law enforcement authorities.
“There’s no finish line with health and safety, and I think these protocols are very much living and breathing documents, which means they will change as we gain new knowledge about this virus, as we gain new knowledge about transmission, as we gain new knowledge about testing, and there are new tests and new techniques that come online,” Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, told the Associated Press. “We very much anticipate that these protocols will change.”
The NFL has sought input from other leagues that have returned to action, including some outside the country. It’s not known how many positive tests would result in shutting down the football season.
“These are complicated issues which involve a lot of factors,” Sills said. “But suffice it to say we very much look at it from a medical and public health standpoint, and we want to make sure that first and foremost we’re creating the safest possible environment for our players, for our coaches and our staff but that we’re also operating within the safest environment for each one of our clubs’ locations, which means ongoing and regular communication with the public health authorities in those areas.”
The NFL and the union still must resolve whether there will be a preseason, although according to the Associated Press, the league on Monday offered to eliminate it, which is the NFLPA’s stated preference. The league also is reportedly offering an opt-out provision and stipend for players concerned about participating in training camp and/or games.
Other items still being negotiated include practice schedules, face shields on players’ helmets (which Watt and teammates Justin Reid and Jacob Martin have said they would refuse to use while playing), and financial issues such as how a shortfall this year would impact future salary caps.
Among other COVID-19-related protocols this season:
• There will be no buffets in team cafeterias. Prepackaged meals will be emphasized.
• Players are required to wear masks at team facilities and practice social distancing of at least six feet when not playing football. They are not to share towels, clothing, water or food.
• While traveling, players are required to wear masks and practice physical distancing whenever possible.
• Players and coaches aren’t allowed to use public or private transportation to get to a road game or while in another league city.
• Players aren’t allowed to leave their hotel to eat or use restaurants open to the public. Players are allowed to use room service or contactless delivery.
• Hotel room visits are prohibited by anyone other than members of a team’s traveling party.
• Using shared hotel facilities, including pools and fitness centers, is prohibited unless they are limited to use by the team traveling party and have been disinfected.
• Buses can be at no more than 50 percent capacity, and there must be at least one open seat between passengers on airplanes.