League limits access to team facilities

The NFL is further limiting player access to team facilities as it attempts to enhance safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a memo sent to the 32 clubs, teams must close their facilities for two days after games, with some exceptions.

Beginning Monday, all teams playing on a Sunday must close their facilities the next two days — except for clubs playing on the subsequent Thursday. Only players needing medical attention for injuries or in rehab programs may enter the team complex.

Coaches can access the facility but must work in their own offices and can’t conduct meetings except virtually.

Teams playing on Monday can next have players in their facilities on Thursday, and teams with Thursday night games must close the complex to players until Sunday.

“There are no exceptions to this prohibition,” the league wrote. “Approvals previously received for in-person meetings will not apply on these two days.”

Ravens

Quarterback Robert Griffin III has been placed on injured reserve by Baltimore leaving Trace McSorley as the backup when Lamar Jackson comes off the reserve/COVID-19 list. Griffin started Wednesday against the Steelers and hurt his hamstring in the second quarter. He remained in the game until the injury became too much to bear and was replaced by McSorley in the fourth quarter of a 19-14 loss. Griffin will havve to miss at least three games. The Ravens (6-5) activated four players off the COVID-19 list Friday, but Jackson wasn’t one of them. The reigning NFL MVP tested positive last Thursday, but the Ravens hope he will be back in time to play against Dallas (3-8) on Tuesday night. Running back J.K. Dobbins, linebacker Pernell McPhee and centers Matt Skura and Patrick Mekari were activated from the reserve.

Browns

Myles Garrett pushes, shoves and fights 300-pound offensive linemen on a nearly daily basis for a living. A microscopic virus flattened him. “Kicked my butt,” the Browns star said Friday. “Now I’m back.” Speaking for the first time since testing positive for COVID-19 last month and missing Cleveland’s past two games, Garrett said he experienced moderate symptoms while sick and that he worried about long-term health issues. “I lost my smell for almost two weeks, had the body aches, headaches, my eyes were hurting, coughing, sneezing, fever,” he said. “I was in pain.” Garrett was activated from the COVID list Tuesday, returned to practice the past two days, and despite some stiffness on his first day back on the field, he’s ready to play Sunday when the Browns (8-3) continue their playoff push against the Tennessee Titans (8-3).

Raiders

Las Vegas (6-5) will be without leading rusher Josh Jacobs and safety Johnathan Abram for this week’s game against the New York Jets (0-11). Coach Jon Gruden said Friday that the two won’t make the trip to New York because of Jacobs’ injured ankle and Abram’s injured knee. Gruden had hoped both would be able to play this week but it wasn’t possible and now he hopes the injuries don’t linger even longer.

Dolphins

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is questionable for Sunday’s game against Cincinnati (2-8-1) because of a thumb injury that forced him to miss last week’s victory against the New York Jets. Tagovailoa has been limited in practice since hurting the thumb on his throwing hand during a workout Nov. 25. Ryan

Fitzpatrick replaced Tagovailoa last week and threw two touchdown passes for the Dolphins (7-4).

Falcons

Atlanta receiver Julio Jones and running back Todd Gurley are questionable for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints (9-2). Jones (hamstring) and Gurley (knee) both missed last week’s 436 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders. Defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. and cornerback Kendall Sheffield (illness) are also listed as questionable. The only player for Atlanta (4-7) who definitely won’t play against the Saints is offensive guard James Carpenter, who was carted off the field last weekend with a groin injury.

Giants

Quarterback Daniel Jones practiced on a limited basis on Friday and has been listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks (8-3) in Seattle. Jones, who was injured last weekend against Cincinnati, did not practice on either Wednesday or Thursday. If Jones cannot play, Colt McCoy will start for the Giants (4-7), who are riding a three-game winning streak that has put them in first place in the NFC East.