Culture shock in store for NFL players
Playing with injury, illness, in close proximity to others inherent to sport
If the NFL wants its show to go on as planned in the COVID-19 era, it will have to update an age-old football mentality that expects players to routinely participate through injury and illness. It’ll also need a fair bit of luck.
“You have to respect what this virus is all about,” former 49ers running back Roger Craig said in a phone interview this week. “You can’t think you’re tough and play through it. It’s not safe. It’s not good for anyone, really.”
The scheduled opening for fullsquad training camp is July 28, although rookies typically report a week before that. In the case of Houston and Kansas City, scheduled to play in the league opener on Thursday, Sept. 10, rookies would, in theory, report Saturday.
According to multiple reports, rookies from the Texans and Chiefs were told to report Monday for COVID-19 testing, indicating an announcement on an agreement is forthcoming.
There was no official word Friday on a deal from the league or the union.
Until that happens, the 49ers, Raiders and every other NFL team remain in a holding pattern.
“We are sitting tight and waiting for direction,” a 49ers spokesman said. “It’s up to the NFL, NFLPA and (Santa Clara) county right now.”
Raiders coach Jon Gruden, eager to get started at the team’s new practice facility in Henderson, Nev., awaits news of an agreement.
“(Coaches) will be the last to know,” Gruden said in a text message.
Cornerback Richard Sherman, the 49ers’ NFLPA representative, said on Twitter that players had a “good meeting today with management. We were blunt and honest with them and we will not compromise our players (sic) health in these discussions.”
Houston defensive lineman J.J. Watt, the three-time NFL defensive
player of the year, posted a list of issues with management on Twitter.
Included was the frequency of testing, the effect a possible COVID test would have on contracts and an agreement on “what training camp will actually look like and how the ‘ramp up’ period will work.”
According to an NFL Network report, players can opt out and resume their careers in 2021 if they give written notice by Aug. 1 — a provision that was given to both NBA and MLB players.
Also on the table is a separate COVID-19 injured reserve list from which players can return after three weeks.
The notion of conducting football practices and games with social distancing measures runs counter to the very nature of the sport, according to former Raiders safety Charles Woodson.
“You’re talking about your guys in training camp, 60, 70 guys or whatever it is and everybody is competing for positions,” Woodson said in a phone interview. “You end up being in close contact. You can keep everybody at a safety distance during position meetings, but you can’t when you’ve got linemen together. I don’t know how you get around that.”’
Former Raiders linebacker Kirk Morrison, whose brother is recovering from the virus, said he believes players will feel safe within the cocoon of their teammates.
“The safest I’ve ever felt is when I walked into my team’s facility,” Morrison said. “You know who’s coming in and coming out. It’s easily traceable — who’s testing positive, who’s testing negative.”
Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown’s biggest concern was making sure players wouldn’t become exposed through contact with friends and family, even if they believe they’re being careful enough.
“Too many people to be sure no one is bursting the bubble,” Brown said in a text message.
Woodson concurred, given that it’s unlikely that a football team and its massive coaching and support staffs could be kept safe from a single infection as the NBA is aiming to do in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
“The issue is everybody goes home,” Woodson said. “You might come in and be infection-free, but what happens during the course of a day? ... Right now everybody is in the hope stage, but I think it’s kind of far-fetched right now for that to happen with the way it’s kind of run rampant.”
Morrison interviewed Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on July 2 in hisroleasaSirusXMNFL radio host. He said he believes camps will open on or near their scheduled dates but there are issues along the way.
“I’m not going to be surprised when guys return to the facility and a lot test positive and didn’t know they had it because tests weren’t readily available,” Morrison said. “That’s going to be the interesting part, seeing if the NFL can get ahead of it.”
Morrison says the NFL and NFLPA erred in getting started too late on the process of getting players into camp for testing purposes.
“Why not have an introductory period where guys could come in, get tested and you could have a quarantine period of two weeks then start camp?” Morrison said. “Now on July 28, you’re already behind the eight ball, learning playbooks and all that stuff. It’s just a lot.”
Whenever camp begins, it will be unlike anything players have experienced in terms of cleanliness and hygiene.
“I know a couple of players who never took a shower inside the Napa training camp facility,” Morrison said. “I don’t think people understand what a training camp looks like after practice. One of the biggest challenges is just how clean you’re going to have to be.”