All Seahawks

Jay Inslee Gives Green Light for Seahawks, Other Professional Teams in Washington

For teams in Washington to resume activities, several benchmarks must be hit, including adhering to league-mandated "return to play" safety plans and spectator-less games.
Corbin K. Smith|
Jay Inslee Gives Green Light for Seahawks, Other Professional Teams in Washington
Jay Inslee Gives Green Light for Seahawks, Other Professional Teams in Washington

Washington governor Jay Inslee's office has issued a set of guidelines paving the way for the return of professional sports in the state starting on June 5.

Per the guidelines, all professional sporting activities will be allowed to resume, including office operations up to 50 people, full practices, and spectator-less games, if a set of specific set of criteria is met.

Organizations such as the Seahawks must follow league-wide and team-specific "return to play" safety plans that have been approved by the league's player's association or union. The team must also report dates for full practices and preseason spectator-less games to respective county health officials in advance.

While Seattle hasn't been able to reopen its facility to this point due to King County still being in a modified "Phase 1.5" of Inslee's reopening plan, this new set of guidelines will allow professional sports teams throughout the state to resume activities, regardless of phase, as long as the aforementioned benchmarks are hit.

On Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the league would allow coaches to return to facilities starting on June 5. Only the 49ers were expected to not be cleared by state and local officials to bring coaches back at this time.

It remains unclear when the Seahawks will reopen the VMAC in Renton, but this latest development provides hope coaches will be able to return soon and eventually players will be allowed back at the facility to prepare for training camp in July.

Published
Corbin K. Smith
CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.

Home/Seahawks News