NFL Players Approve Testing Plan

NFL players will be tested daily for the coronavirus for at least the first two weeks of training camp

NFL players will be tested daily for the coronavirus for at least the first two weeks of training camp, according to the league’s new testing protocols which were approved by the players' union on Monday.

As often happens in business the NFL and its players reached the compromise with a deadline looming and rookies scheduled to report around the league.

The NFL's chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, explained on a conference call that more than one negative test per player would be required before anyone can actually enter facilities around the country.

A memo sent to the teams explained the ramp-up period.

Pre-entry testing requires players and team employees to be tested on two occasions separated by 72 hours using a PCR test via a nasal swab. Players must self-quarantine between the first and second tests but may attend virtual meetings and training during that time.

The pre-entry testing schedule outlined is:

Day 1: COVID-19 Testing

Day 2: No Testing

Day 3: No Testing

Day 4: COVID-19 Testing

Day 5: Daily COVID-19 Testing begins and players who passed the first two tests may enter the facility for the first time.

Any individual who tests positive for COVID-19 on either of the required pre-entry tests can not enter the facility and instead must enter the Treatment Response Protocol.

For those who pass both initial tests, they will continue to be tested daily for two weeks and if the positivity rate is below five percent for players and Tier I and Tier II individuals, testing would revert to every other day. If it's above the threshold daily testing will continue.

"I think these protocols are very much living and breathing documents, which means they will change as we gain new knowledge about this virus, as we gain new knowledge about transmission, as we gain new knowledge about testing and there are new tests and new techniques that come online,” Sills explained. “We very much anticipate that these protocols will change.”

The league and the NFLPA had already agreed on protocols regarding team travel, treatment response, and facilities protocol based on recommendations from a joint committee of doctors and trainers.

“Our union has been pushing for the strongest testing, tracing and treatment protocols to keep our players safe," the union said in a statement. "The testing protocols we agreed to are one critical factor that will help us return to work safely, and gives us the best chance to play and finish the season."

The brokered deal came just one day after a flood of star players inundated social media with the #WeWantToPlay movement designed to bring attention to the testing protocols. Daily testing, along with a significant acclimation period, were the two biggest sticking points for the NFLPA.

The union wants a multiple-week strength and conditioning period before players start practicing for real and the two sides are still wrangling over preseason games. The league wanted two in order to give each team a dry run with all the new protocols in a home and road environment and seems prepared to scale back to only one. The union wants no preseason games.

Those are minor hurdles, however, and training camp is officially a go.

The Eagles' rookies are scheduled to report on Tuesday and the team put a bow on its draft class by signing eight picks on Monday, including first-round receiver Jalen Regaor and second-round quarterback Jalen Hurts. Selected veterans (quarterbacks and rehabbing players) are scheduled for Thursday of this week and the full team reports on July 28 so the first actual day of camp would be August 1 after the pre-COVID-19 testing.

-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

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