NFL Grows Closer to On-Field Restart
Things started picking up steam rapidly post-Memorial Day when it came to the sports world.
News that New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy gave the all-clear for professional sports teams based in his state to resume training and even competition without facing legal obstacles.
In the NFL, that means both the New York Giants and New York Jets, teams whose facilities are in New Jersey, as well as local teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers, who train in Camden and Voorhees respectively, can choose to move in that direction.
“We have been in constant discussions with teams about necessary protocols to protect the health and safety of players, coaches, and personnel,” Murphy said in a short statement released on social media Tuesday morning.
A so-called COVID-19 hot spot, New Jersey was a key domino to fall when it came to the political hurdles of restarting professional sports in the wake of the pandemic, and the Garden State’s decision came on the heels of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo taking a similar path days earlier.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has yet to take action - a necessity for the Eagles to get back to work at the NovaCare Complex in South Philadelphia - but it’s hard to imagine Wolf taking a hardline stance after his neighbors, which have been far harder hit, have begun to ease the restrictions.
The NBA's Sixers are moving quickly.
“Following today’s announcement by Governor Murphy, the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey will begin a phased reopening (Wednesday) for voluntary, individual workouts, the team said in a statement. "Players and essential staff will adhere to strict safeguards in accordance with NBA guidelines.”
Yet another domino fell when YAHOO!’s Charles Robinson reported that NFL coaches could return to facilities as early next week and there's at least a chance that on-field minicamps may be held before the end of June.
Behind the scenes, the NFL has been insistent that no coaches or players (other than those rehabbing injuries) will be allowed back until all 32 teams are permitted, with California being the biggest concern, a league source told SI.com.
From a practice standpoint, on-field minicamps remain unlikely and must be jointly negotiated with the NFLPA, something union president J.C. Tretter was quick to say has yet to happen.
“Players: our union has not agreed to any reopening plan,” Tretter wrote on social media. “Any reports about coming back to work are hypothetical. You will hear from the NFLPA when there are new developments.”
Previously the NFLPA had agreed to a June 26 end date to the so-called virtual offseason.
There was a short-lived report over the weekend that the Eagles were giving the players off from the final phases of their virtual work, but that’s not the case and each has been given schedules that include a mandatory virtual-minicamp.
That remains the plan for now, but it’s also becoming increasingly clear that NFL training camps will begin on time this summer barring a significant setback and a second wave of COVID-19 infections that would force state and local governments to scale back on restarting their economies.
John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, and every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
