League makes offer to players to scrap exhibition games
The NFL has offered to scrap all preseason games, a person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press.
The players’ association had sought no preseason games and the league had reduced the exhibition schedule to two games. But on Monday evening, the NFL said it would eliminate those preseason contests and also would offer players 18 days for acclimation, up from seven days. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the offer has not been made public.
Another part of the offer is to provide a means for players concerned about participating in training camp and/or games to opt out and receive a stipend.
The union has not yet accepted the offers. Should it do so, both sides would have taken a major step toward starting the season on time.
Earlier Monday, the league said players will be tested daily for the coronavirus for at least the first two weeks of training camp, per the league’s new testing protocols.
The NFL and the players’ union reached an agreement as rookies for Houston and Kansas City were set to report to camp. Rookies for other teams begin arriving Tuesday.
Players and all Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 2M or Tier 3 individuals must test negative two times separated by 72 hours using a nasal swab before initially entering the building to begin physical exams or any form of team activity.
After two weeks of daily testing, if the positivity rate of those tests falls below 5% among players and Tier I and Tier II individuals, as described previously in NFL protocols, testing would go to every other day. If the positivity rate doesn’t fall below that threshold, daily testing would continue until it drops.
TEXANS, CHIEFS ROOKIES REPORT TO TRAINING CAMP >> Amidst a sea of uncertainty regarding the 2020 NFL season and doubts about preseason games, rookies for the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans began reporting to training camp.
Chiefs rookies were informed Sunday that training camp would be “a go.” But to gain access to the team’s facility, all players must produce two negative COVID-19 test results before they can enter.
“That could take you into four days here,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday in a Zoom call with reporters. “There’s a point where we’ll be able to have the guys lift and meet with them and do a potential walk-through with them.”
Houston visits the Chiefs in the NFL regular-season opener on Sept. 10 in Kansas City. But getting to Week 1 of the regular season will involve clearing hurdles. ANTONIO BROWN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT ... AGAIN >> Free agent wide receiver Antonio Brown fired off a series of tweets Monday indicating he is done with the NFL.
“at this point the risk is greater than the reward thank you everyone who been part of this journey i sincerely thank you for everything! life goes on 84!” he posted.
Brown, 32, who has threatened to retire before, followed that up by tweeting, “I came i saw i conquered mission complete.”
He has been a free agent since September, when the New England Patriots released him after one game.
WASHINGTON NFL TEAM BRINGS BACK EXEC TO WORK ON NAME CHANGE >> Washington’s NFL team brought back its former chief marketing officer, Terry Bateman, in that role Monday to oversee what it called in a news release its “name change and branding process.”
Bateman originally was hired by Washington to oversee marketing in 2006. Brian Lafemina briefly took over business operations in 2018, before leaving later that year. Bateman has been advising club owner Daniel Snyder lately, but now gets the official title of executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
JETS, GIANTS TO PLAY WITHOUT FANS AT METLIFE STADIUM >> The New York Giants and New York Jets will play without fans at MetLife Stadium.
The teams, who share the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, issued a joint statement on Monday saying they will comply “until further notice” with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s order restricting public gatherings during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.