Jags, Bucs may have upper hand when reopening

As NFL teams prepare for the reopening of their training facilities, the Miami Dolphins could be lagging behind the other Florida teams.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to all 32 clubs on Wednesday, outlining initial plans for the possible reopening of team facilities by May 15.

The Dolphins’ Davie facility and the league’s 31 other training sites have been closed since late March as part of the league’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But while the rest of Florida is preparing to reopen in phases, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties remain in a stay-at-home order.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also made clear local governments will be able to impose local restrictions, as many were already doing.

When businesses begin to open up in the state, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be days — if not weeks — ahead of the Dolphins, because South Florida has been the biggest hot spot for the virus in the state.

The state has nearly 40,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 1,600 deaths as of Thursday afternoon.

The three counties that make up South Florida have accounted for nearly 23,000 of those cases and more than 900 deaths.

Broward County, which is where the Dolphins’ practice facility is located, has nearly 6,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 200 deaths.

Duval County, where the Jaguars are based, has slightly more than 1,000 cases and 26 deaths.

Hillsborough County, where the Buccaneers train, have nearly 1,400 cases and 33 deaths.

The Dolphins declined to comment when asked about the possible reopening of the team’s facility.

Goodell’s memo details protocols that will allow an initial reopening phase that includes a portion of the team’s employees returning to work.

No more than 50% of the team’s employees (or up to 75 people) will be allowed in the building at one time.

These guidelines could be stricter depending on local and state guidelines.

No players would return to the facilities during this initial phase, unless they were continuing rehab and treatment that was already taking place when facilities initially closed.

Those who return to the facilities must follow a number of measures, including wearing a mask and undergoing daily temperature screenings.

“While these protocols have been carefully developed and reflect best practices, they can also be adapted and supplemented to ensure compliance with any state and local public health requirements,” Goodell wrote in the letter, according to the Associated Press.

Goodell also stated the NFLPA is being consulted on steps that need to take place before players return to train in facilities, and that those protocols are not yet fully developed.

The players have been participating in offsite training programs, which involves them working out on their own and participating in video conferences for team meetings and instruction sessions.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.