Training Camp Not Conducive to Coronavirus Containment
Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Jon Robinson acknowledged it last week. Much remains unknown about the NFL’s 2020 training camps, preseason and regular season.
Right now, the next step is training camp, and all 32 NFL teams plan to start in July.
Dr. David Aronoff, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University, is not sure that is a good idea.
“If I had to make the decision right now, I would be very cautious,” Aronoff told AllTitans. “I probably wouldn’t [open training camp]. Just knowing what we know about the pandemic, it’s heating up in some parts of the United States.”
In mostly southern states, closer to Tennessee, COVID-19 has spiked over the last couple of weeks. Amid the increase, the NFLPA’s medical director advised players to halt group workouts in a statement issued Saturday.
Since March, a number of players have held training sessions together. Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill and tight end Jonnu Smith spent time together in Florida. In Nashville, a group of San Francisco 49ers worked out en masse recently and, per NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo, one tested positive for COVID-19.
"Please be advised that it is our consensus medical opinion that in light of the increase in Covid-19 cases in certain states that no players should be engaged in practicing together in private workouts," wrote NFLPA medical director Dr. Thom Mayer. "Our goal is to have all players and your families as healthy as possible in the coming months.
“We are working on the best mitigation procedures at team facilities for both training camps and the upcoming season and believe that it is in the best interest of all players that we advise against any voluntary joint practices before training camp commences."
Right now, anything seems to be possible for training camp. Vrabel pondered many ideas during a press conference at the conclusion of the team’s virtual offseason program, including how to hold team meetings, how many players can use the weight room at once and much more.
Aronoff said the best policy – other than good hand hygiene and utilization of masks – is always distance. But with 90 players at training camp, that can’t always be an option.
He suggested teams should try to conduct meetings virtually when possible. In other cases, teams may need to get creative.
“On good weather days with the right public address equipment, you could do meetings outside, Aronoff said. “A big advantage of being outside is that you can create more distance.”
A similar mindset also is necessary with weight rooms. If only a certain number of players can utilize a workout area at once, Aronoff said, some may need to conduct as much individual training from home as possible.
If not, however, players may need to work out in different cycles throughout the week.
“People could have to work out on different days, just sort of a full schedule, so that you can have fewer people in the facilities and take more time to clean equipment and space out equipment,” Aronoff said.
Ultimately, ideas are just ideas. And right now, Aronoff said, fewer social distancing and safety precautions are being taken countrywide as local and state government work to reopen the economy.
As the planned start of training camp approaches, Aronoff explained that it’s important for the NFL to think a few weeks ahead and create contingency plans.
But even the best laid ones, he said, could turn to dust.
“We’re almost in July now, and it’s hard for me to imagine that we are going to get to the backside of this pandemic like Italy and other countries, where cases are clearly going down,” Aronoff said. “Talk to experts, understand that this is a life and death situation. It’s obviously unprecedented, but this is a potentially lethal infectious disease.
“It may very well be for the NFL, as it has been for other sports, an incredible year of sacrifice for the health and safety of players, coaches and other people who are needed to help the game flourish. They need to continue to understand the health and wellness of their league is the No. 1 thing. Everyone wants to see sports back in action, but this is a rapidly changing situation.”
