KANSAS CITY, Mo. — NFL teams may begin reopening team facilities Tuesday, subject to state and local guidelines, according to a memo from Commissioner Roger Goodell to league CEOs and team presidents.
But players and coaches will remain barred from team facilities for at least two more weeks.
NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport posted a copy of the memorandum Friday on Twitter.
We’ve got the MVP of commencement speakers next Saturday. 😉
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According to Goodell’s memo and building off guidance provided last week, teams will only be allowed to have 50% of their staff and no more than 75 people in team facilities during the first reopening phase “and until further notice.”
No members of the coaching staff will be permitted to return during this phase “to ensure equity among all 32 clubs,” which are subject to different regulations depending on their location and the health orders in place.
Teams will be allowed to split staff — including football operations, football administration, equipment, medical and nutritional staff — between different locations, “but the combined number of employees at all locations may not exceed 75,” according to the letter.
A team’s strength and conditioning coach is only permitted at the facility if he is currently working with rehabilitating players. Otherwise, strength and conditioning personnel cannot return until full coaching staffs are allowed to return.
Players are only allowed in team facilities for medical treatment and rehab.
The NFL announced Wednesday that it had extended the virtual offseason for team workouts, which initially was set to expire Friday, another two weeks until at least May 29.
Changes in government regulations and any COVID-19 cases must be reported NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills, who will lead a mandatory training for each team’s Infection Control Officers on Monday evening. The training is required before any team can reopen.
Team stores and “other customer-facing activities,” which presumably includes ticket sales, may not reopen during the first phase.
The Chiefs began selling single-game and group tickets for the 2020 season last week after the NFL schedule was announced.
Goodell’s memo said the league is “continuing to work with the NFLPA and our medical teams on developing protocols that could permit a certain number of players to return to club facilities as early as next month (June).”
