With so many players and staff around professional sports contracting COVID-19 of late, the NFL Players Association is doing what it can to assure athletes’ safety.
In a statement released Saturday, NFLPA medical director Dr. Thom Mayer asked players to stop engaging in private workouts and practices with other players before training camps commence, with the goal of having all athletes and their families “as healthy as possible in the coming months.”
In the meantime, Mayer says the association is “working on the best mitigation procedures at team facilities for both training camps and the upcoming season.”
A message to players from NFLPA Medical Director, Dr. Thom Mayer: pic.twitter.com/4IGlEBhRr9
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) June 20, 2020
This announcement comes just hours after two Buccanneers players reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, shortly after three Tampa Bay staff members (including a coach) returned positives tests, as well. A San Francisco 49ers player also tested positive for the coronavirus this week after participating in a group workout in Nashville. Last week, several members of the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys, including star running back Ezekiel Elliot, reportedly tested positive for the virus.
Mayer has said the NFL does plan to test players for COVID-19 at least three times a week, though it’s unclear when that will start or if it will be enough to mitigate the spread of the virus. But we’ve got a hunch this won’t be the last coronavirus-related restriction will see in the NFL (whether it is from the league or not) in the coming weeks.
