Goodell: Teams can open facilities, minus players
In a memo sent to NFL teams on Friday, commissioner Roger Goodell authorized the re-opening of team facilities Tuesday if franchises are permitted to do so under state and local regulations, are compliant with additional public health requirements and have implemented protocols established by the league earlier this month.
Coaches and players will continue to be prohibited from returning to their team facility.
The Broncos’ facility can open Tuesday, but a team source said there is no urgency to reopen because coaches and players will continue to be prohibited from returning to the building.
Nearly all of the Broncos’ employees will continue to work from home, including football operations.
Brittany Bowlen, vice president of strategic initiatives, leads the team’s 10-person COVID-19 Task Force, which has been meeting to develop a return-to-action plan.
The NFL required teams to submit proposals by Friday with their ideas for how the league should proceed. Next week, the league office is expected to announce across-the-board protocols for every team.
On Monday, the NFL has scheduled a required training program for the clubs’ infection control officers.
Before a team re-opens their facility, they must have completed the training. A member of the Broncos’ training or human resources staffs will represent the team.
In Goodell’s memo, multiple provisions were put in place.
• Teams can have no more than 75 people split between a team’s facility and home stadium. All full-time and contracted employees at the facility and Mile High count toward the total.
• Teams can decide which employees can return to the facility, including members of personnel, football operations and administration, the equipment and medical staffs and nutritionists. A team’s strength and conditioning coach may continue to work at the facility only if it involves player rehabilitation. Broncos general manager John Elway and his personnel department are eligible to work out of the facility, but will not initially according to a team source.
• The only players allowed to be at the facility are those undergoing medical treatment or rehabilitation. That includes Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb and tight end Austin Fort, who are returning from ACL injuries. Players in the building also count toward the 75-person total.
• Team retail stores are not authorized to re-open.
• Teams must promptly report any “incidence of COVID-19” in the facility to the league and any change in government regulations.
“The first phase of re-opening is an important step in demonstrating our ability to operate safely and effectively, even in the current environment,” Goodell said. “After we implement this first phase and as more states and localities enact policies that allow more club facilities to re-open, I expect that additional staff, likely including coaching staff, will be allowed to return to club facilities in a relatively short time.”
Preseason dates announced. Dates and kickoff times were announced for three of the Denver Broncos’ four preseason games on Friday.
Saturday, Aug. 15: vs. San Francisco (7:05 p.m.).
Saturday, Aug. 22: vs. Chicago (7:05 p.m.). It is possible the Broncos and Bears conduct joint practices leading into the game.
Aug. 27-30: at the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams have not announced the date yet.
Thursday, Sept. 3: at Arizona (8p.m.).
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, teams can begin training camp 48 days before the first Sunday of regular season games, which would be July 28.