Pandemic Past: NFL Officially Announces Suspension of COVID-19 Protocols

After two years of restrictions and precautions, the National Football League and its players are now resuming business, as usual.

Effective immediately, the NFL and NFLPA has informed all 32 teams [via a memo issued on Thursday, March 3] that COVID-19 protocols have officially been lifted. The memo states that “current encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity of COVID-19” as well as new CDC guidelines and changes to state laws allowed the league to make the move, in agreement with the players’ union.

The suspension of pandemic-related regulations means a great deal of changes to the daily operations of NFL Teams.

Here are some of the highlights:

The NFL will no longer conduct mandatory COVID-19 surveillance testing of players or staff members, regardless of their vaccination status. However, teams will be "expected to identify a space inside the club facility to accommodate at least 10 Mesa docks" for anyone who reports symptoms.

Tracking: Players and staff members are no longer required to wear tracking devices while inside the facility.

Face coverings: Regardless of vaccination status, neither players nor staff will be required to wear masks or similar face coverings However, teams may still have to comply with state/local regulations on this matter. Also, teams may implement mask requirements should they choose to do so.

Tier-Level Access: Neither club facilities, nor weight rooms will be subject to restrictions; eliminating the tiers which had been in place since 2020. As with face coverings, teams maintain the option to implement limits and/or regulations, if applicable.

The full League memo may be viewed here:

Here’s the memo that just went to clubs on the NFL and NFLPA suspending all COVID-19 protocols. No more masks, tracking devices, mandatory surveillance testing or capacity limits, unless required by state and local law. pic.twitter.com/TIdvfCWr9m
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 3, 2022

The league memo was careful to note that while required testing will no longer be conducted, “individuals must continue to monitor themselves for symptoms on a daily basis prior to entering the club facility.” Players or staff members experiencing COVID-19 symptoms are directed to report to a team’s medical staff and subsequently will have to undergo testing. Players or staff members who test positive under those updated protocols are required to isolate for five days.

Conspicuous by its absence within the memo was the fate of revised roster guidelines, implemented during the pandemic. While official confirmation is still forthcoming, multiple sources are indicating that the suspension of COVID-19 protocols will precipitate the following changes:

Practice squads will be reduced from 16 to 14 players, while eliminating practice squad protections

The number of allowed practice squad veterans with unlimited accrued seasons will be reduced to four players per team

Elimination of COVID-19/Reserve designations, also eliminating the need for COVID replacements

Ending of unlimited returns from Injured Reserve; only two players can be designated to return from IR per club

The minimum amount of time needed on IR returns to up to 6 weeks

While the league’s new directives will require some adjustments, it should largely be seen as a positive step for the teams and its players. Since the league first introduced Covid-19 restrictions in March 2020, they have done an admirable job in weathering the storm. They opted to conduct the 2020 NFL Draft virtually, while also placing strict restrictions on offseason workout programs and the preseason slate. Players were also given the option to opt out of either the 2020 or 2021 seasons due to pandemic-related concerns. Despite the postponement of several regular season games, the league managed to hold all 554 games over the last two seasons; even with many of those games taking place in empty stadiums. Following the implementation of vaccines, the number of outbreaks was greatly reduced.

The New England Patriots were among the first teams to implement their own safety measures, even prior to league mandates. Twenty-two members of their roster were placed on COVID/Reserve in 2021, Yet, they did not experience a wide-scale outbreak.

With the 2022 season rapidly approaching, the Patriots will join the 31 other teams in prepping for the upcoming year without the specter of pandemic restrictions.