Report: NFL, NFLPA Dispute Coronavirus Injury Classification

The NFL and NFL Players Association are currently in a dispute over the injury classification for players who test positive for COVID-19, according to ESPN's Dan Graziano.

The NFL is reportedly attempting to classify COVID-19 as a "non-football injury," per Graziano. Teams are currently not required to pay players who miss games due to non-football injuries. If a player were to contract COVID-19 during a practice or game, teams would have the right not to pay him if he is placed on the non-football injury list.

The NFL and NFLPA are working on a host of issues in addition to its dispute over the non-football injury list. The NFLPA is hoping to institute daily COVID-19 testing and eliminate the 2020 preseason, per Graziano.

Negotiations between the NFL and NFLPA are occurring as coronavirus cases mount in Texas, California and Arizona among other states. The NFL has previously ruled that all training camps must open simultaneously, though that policy could be changed if teams can not open training camp in certain states.

NFL training camps are currently scheduled to open on July 28. Week 1 of the 2020 season is slated to begin on Sept. 10, as the Chiefs face the Texans. The NFL's full 16-game schedule was released on May 7.