Big Blue takes Giant step
Mara, Gettleman help reopen facility
Co-owner John Mara and GM Dave Gettleman were among a group of about 15to-20 people who reported to Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Wednesday for the beginning of a slow reopening of the Giants’ training facility.
Some members of the football administration staff and a few in the business, operations and medical departments reported, as well.
Coaches and players still are working remotely from their homes around the country as the NFL’s virtual offseason continues into June. And the expectation is that NFL players are not expected to report to facilities until training camp in mid-to-late July.
The league also told teams this week that training camps must be held at their own facilities to limit travel and the amount of locations that must be maintained safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. No joint practices will occur between clubs, either.
“We have been working diligently over the last couple months to prepare for coming back to the facility, the Quest Diagnostics Training Center,” head athletic trainer Ronnie Barnes said in a statement. “The primary focus has been to return our employees safely. And so everything that we have been doing has been related to the safety of our employees and how we can get back to work as safely as possible.”
The Giants have made clear that they are following the protocols laid out by both the State of New Jersey and the NFL in their reopening plan. Not all of the employees who reported on Wednesday will be working at the facility on a daily basis.
The number of employees will continue to increase slowly over the next couple weeks, with employees on the business side trickling in. But for the time being, employees who are able to work from home will continue to do so.
“We’re all happy to be back,” Barnes added. “We’ve been waiting for a long time. The Giants’ COVID-19 Task Force has been working hard to make this facility as safe as possible. We’ve made a lot of changes; those are all for [employees’] safety and they’re very important. We are following the CDC guidelines, the guidelines from the NFL and the guidelines from the National Institute of Health, as well as the state’s protocols.”
BARKLEY CONTINUES TO SPEAK OUT
Saquon Barkley for a second straight day made a strong statement on social media connected to George Floyd’s death and ongoing racial injustice and police brutality.
On Wednesday, Barkley tweeted urging people to stay motivated and active to make a difference weeks and months from now, even when the protests taper off.
“The protests are amazing and inspiring,” Barkley tweeted. “But please in 2 or 3 weeks when the protest(s) are no longer happening. We still need change, we need to come together as a community and we need action! Racism and injustice can not exist!”
That came one day after Barkley reposted graphic designer @thekylecyr’s Instagram mock-up of Barkley photoshopped into an all-black uniform with “I CAN’T BREATHE” and a fist on the jersey and his No. 26 on the helmet.