Colts Coach Frank Reich Has Tried Many Masks in Staying Compliant With NFL Edict
INDIANAPOLIS — Frank Reich didn’t need to read an NFL warning after Week 1 to heed the mandate for properly wearing a mask on the sideline.
The Indianapolis Colts third-year head coach has been trying out several for weeks — about 20, to be exact — before settling on the one he wore during Sunday’s 28-11 home win over Minnesota at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Five NFL head coaches evidently didn’t take the league memo seriously enough — Jon Gruden, Sean Payton, Pete Carroll, Vic Fangio, and Kyle Shanahan were fined $100,000 apiece, and their teams were docked $250,000.
That’s not going to happen with Reich.
“I almost came to this conference with this on today because I didn’t want to get called out,” he said on a Wednesday Zoom video call, in which he showed his mask. “But no, it’s something that I take seriously. I understand the nature of the question and yeah, when they issued the warning after Week 1, I was heeding the warning.
“Now I will say Stephen (Holder) to your point, I’ve literally have tried 20 different masks. I think this is the one I’m settling in on – the one I wore last week. Because you’re talking a lot, there are times where it came down and as soon as I think about it I pull it back up. I just have to make a conscious effort to speak a little bit louder. There is a little conscious effort. It requires a little bit more annunciation and speaking a little bit louder, but it’s fine. You adjust to it and make it work.”
Colts coach Frank Reich (blue jacket) has on the mask for Sunday's home game against Minnesota that he's decided is best for him.
Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports
Payton, who coaches the New Orleans Saints, was the first NFL coach to publicly reveal in March that he tested positive for the Coronavirus. L.A. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said on HBO’s Hard Knocks that he had to battle the virus. Gruden, who coaches the Las Vegas Raiders, said he’s also had COVID-19. Payton and Gruden faced each other on Monday Night Football, and several sideline shots showed their masks pulled down below their mouths.
Because NFL personnel, coaches, and players are tested on a daily basis, some question why head coaches need to wear a mask during games, especially since the players aren’t wearing them.
But Reich doesn’t question the league’s position.
“To say it’s optics, obviously could be taken as more of a negative statement, but the NFL has a huge platform,” Reich said. “So, optics is important at some level. We’re trying to set an example for our country so I respect the fact that the league is really running a tight ship on this stuff, with the testing. It’s really been a tight ship and I think our players and coaches have said, ‘Whatever the league says, that’s what we’re going to do. We’re not going to complain about it. We’re just going to do it.’
“We’re going to focus getting ready to play the Jets. That’s a big enough challenge. We don’t need to be distracted by arguing or complaining about what the league is doing with its protocols. We just accept it at face value and think it’s for the best.”
The Colts (1-1) host the N.Y. Jets (0-2) on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium (4:05 p.m., EDT, CBS-4 TV).
If nothing else, during the middle part of Week 3’s preparation, Reich is ready with his chosen mask.
Colts coach Frank Reich used a black mask in Week 1 at Jacksonville.
Douglas DeFelice/USA TODAY Sports
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(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)
