Patriots Can't Hold Joint Practices During Training Camp
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to all teams Tuesday night announcing two important adjustments that will be made to training camp this year, per The MMQB's Albert Breer.
The first adjustment is that teams are required to hold their training camps at their home facility, which includes their home stadium, unless the organization can prove that is not feasible for them to do. The second adjustment is that teams are not allowed to hold joint practices during training camp.
Teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins, and Indianapolis Colts will be impacted by the first adjustment, as they typically hold their training camps at another facility.
While the New England Patriots already hold their training camp on the Gillette Stadium premises, so they aren't impacted by the first adjustment, they are one of the teams that usually partakes in joint practices during training camp.
New England had reportedly discussed holding a joint practice with the Detroit Lions this summer since the two teams would be playing each other in Week 1 of the preseason. There may have also been an opportunity for the six-time Super Bowl champions to have joint practices leading up to their final preseason game against the New York Giants, who now have former Patriots special teams coordinator Joe Judge as their head coach. But that is no longer possible under the newly-implemented rules due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
