NFL tells Seahawks, teams they can begin virtual offseason training amid coronavirus
The NFL and its players’ union have agreed to begin an offseason program amid the coronavirus pandemic—remotely, using video conferencing.
The league and its players announced Monday the Seahawks and every other team may begin voluntary, and virtual, offseason workout programs next week. Players will get three straight weeks of classroom playbook instruction, workouts and “non-football educational programs” via videoconferencing. The programs begin on April 20.
Teams are allowed to send workout equipment such as kettlebells, resistance bands, fit watches and such to players, as long as the cost of that equipment is not more than $1,500 per player, NFL Network reported.
This new virtual training period must end by May 15.
The NFL Players Association issued a statement Monday endorsing the unprecedented move in these unprecedented times.
“Both our Executive committee and Board of Player Reps have voted unanimously to approve a virtual offseason program up until the start of training camp,” the NFLPA said. “We will be sending out all the details and setting up calls with players and agents for how this will work shortly.”
In a normal NFL offseason, clubs would have started their formal, voluntary (but highly encouraged) offseason workout programs by now at team headquarters. On-field practices usually begin in early May with rookie minicamps. Organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory veteran minicamps are usually from May through June.
All of that is on hold. OTAs and minicamps are unlikely to happen.
Seahawks headquarters in Renton and every other team facility in the NFL remain closed. That complies with states shuttering all but essential businesses while the COVID-19 virus continues to spread nationwide. The league reiterated team facilities will only open in accordance with federal, state and local rules and regulations, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.
Team facilities will open only when every one of the 32 can be open. That is after the states home to every one of the league’s 32 teams declare such non-essential businesses as professional sports headquarters can resume operations.
Until then, they all will remain closed. That may be a while.
States are at differing points in the outbreak; Washington and California were among the first, Minnesota among the last. Some states have been harder hit by the virus than others, such as New York, Washington, California, Louisiana and Michigan.
So states’ governors, not commissioner Roger Goodell or NFL owners, will be deciding when team facilities will re-open—and thus when the season might be able to begin. Training camps are supposed to begin in late July. Even extreme optimists wonder if the league is going to be putting training camp on hold, too.
The offseason program window in the NFL ends June 26. If team buildings aren’t open by then, Pelissero reported teams can have a mandatory veteran minicamp, also on a virtual basis. That would be limited to two hours of classroom work and two hours of workouts.
The league will hold its draft remotely on April 23-25. Coaches, general managers, scouts and team staff members will be in separate locations for social distancing and connected virtually. Goodell will announce first-round picks April 23 from the basement of his New York City-area home.
This story was originally published April 14, 2020 at 9:22 AM.
