The NFL sent a memo to teams outlining protocols by which facilities can be reopenedGETTY IMAGES
The NFL’s vision for a full season that "begins on time -- or close to it -- could be bolstered by nationwide advances in the coming months in the availability of coronavirus tests," according to sources cited by Mark Maske of the WASHINGTON POST. Sources said that they "can envision the season being played with strict protocols for the testing of players and coaches, with cautious policies guiding health practices for fans in stadiums and with teams and owners accepting competitive disparities resulting from varying state and local restrictions." Sources also said that the NFL has been "sorting through contingencies that include games in empty or partially filled stadiums, a delayed or shortened season, and games being relocated or rescheduled." League officials said that the NFL has "been in regular contact with governors and other state and local leaders" as it reformulates its plans. Maske reports the NFL and NFLPA likewise have been in "discussions about protocols that will govern the sport’s operations." The league yesterday sent a memo to teams "outlining protocols by which facilities can be reopened when any local restrictions are lifted." Teams were "told to have the protocols in place by May 15." Some within the league are "convinced that a ramping up of the nation’s testing capabilities by the fall will enable teams to test players with enough regularity for practices and games to proceed without issues arising from comparisons to the public’s access to testing" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/7).
AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE: Cowboys COO, Exec VP & Dir of Player Personnel Stephen Jones said of how many fans could be allowed into AT&T Stadium this fall, "We’re going to abide by science, certainly, we’re going to abide by what the state of Texas, the government entities advise us to do. We’re going to be smart about this, our player safety, our fan safety, our coaches’ safety, the safety of our entire organization. But above all that is our fans. We want people to be safe. We certainly have that in perspective so it would be impossible to speculate at this point to really drill down on a number other than you have to be prepared for that to be any number from 0 to 100" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/7).
DAYDREAMING: In Phoenix, Kent Somers writes what the NFL will look like come fall is "impossible to accurately predict, because so much changes in a week, much less four months." However, he offered a "vision of what one early-season game might look like" for the Cardinals (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/7).
