Safety protocols are praised

As a married father, tight end Darren Fells has a lot of responsibilities and things to consider during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

What the 34-year-old has experienced so far during training camp, including daily COVID-19 testing, upgraded medicalgrade sanitization standards and an emphasis on social distancing, has provided him with a significant comfort level. Especially when Fells has compared the Texans’ safety measures with his colleagues on other NFL teams.

“Obviously with COVID out there, my biggest concern was my family,” Fells said during a Zoom video call. “When I heard the procedures that Houston was taking to be extremely safe, it brings me more at ease. I’ve talked to a couple of guys on other teams and we are by far one of the safest teams I’ve heard. We do so much more. Coach ( Bill O’Brien) is making sure that everybody’s following procedures. The fact that we test every single day is another thing that makes things a lot more at ease.”

No Texans player has been placed on the reserve-COVID-19 list.

Beyond the daily COVID-19 testing conducted by BioReference Laboratories outside of NRG Stadium, Texans chairman and chief operating officer Cal McNair has made significant capital investments to adapt the training facility to the global health crisis. That includes touchless door-opening technology utilizing facial recognition.

“I feel extremely comfortable,” Justin Reid said. “We have all the latest technology and equipment. You don’t even have to touch the doors to open them.”