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With the number of positive tests lower than expected, coaches and GMs share what they have learned and why they are more optimistic about the NFL completing a season amid COVID-19. Plus, why the NFL will allow some fans, why it's not shocking the Saints would consider trading Alvin Kamara, and the top free agents still available.
Albert Breer
Sep 3, 2020
I had a back porch off my vacation house this July where I’d get cell service (it was pretty sketchy everywhere else), and over those three weeks, I wound up spending a lot of time out there.
That, of course, was during the final run-up to training camp. And the calls were coming during a time of year that would normally be quiet.
We were all trying to figure out what was ahead.
The NFL and NFLPA were negotiating protocols, and coaches and scouts and, yes, media were piecing together what the second half of the summer would look like. Some coaches believed the sport itself simply wasn’t compatible with COVID-19. Others worried about their own, or their families’, underlying health issues. Still others called to commiserate over some 60 pages of protocols that landed on their desks a few days after July Fourth.
What was ahead was, really, the great unknown.
A month-and-a-half later, we know a lot more. And by just about any measure, the NFL’s handling of the pandemic has been an enormous success. That’s a tribute to two groups of people on opposite sides of the table, with neither minimizing the circumstances in front of them, nor seeing them as unsurmountable, and then everyone toeing the line afterward.
“We have been really fortunate,” commissioner Roger Goodell said on a conference call this week. “The cases of COVID-19 are very low across the league. It is a testament to the plans, but most importantly to the diligence of the players, the teams and their staffs. I would tell you that we still have more work to do. We are not going to get comfortable. We will remain vigilant, resilient and flexible and basically adapt to circumstances as needed.”
Goodell’s right. It’s taken everyone to get this far, and it’ll take everyone to keep it going.
As for those coaches and GMs I talked to on the deck back in July? They’ve learned a lot since then and, with the season here, we’re about to dive right into that with them.
But we’re starting with a look at what NFL people have learned over the last six weeks.
***
This is it for training camps. Most teams have already transitioned their starters from camp mode into preparing for the season opener. Most roster spots have been won. The final cutdown is about 48 hours away.
So here are some of the results over that time …
• From the start of camp through Aug. 11, 64 players tested positive for COVID-19. On top of that, 67 players opted out of the 2020 season. And there were 107 known player positives before the start of camp.
• From Aug. 12 to Aug. 20, the NFL administered 58,397 tests to 8,573 people—23,260 to players and 35,137 to other personnel. In that stretch, zero players tested positive, and six other personnel tested positive.
• From Aug. 21 to Aug. 29, the league administered 58,621 tests to 8,739 people—23,279 to players, and 35,342 to other personnel. Over that time, four players tested positive, and six other personnel tested positive.
• There are five players currently on the COVID-19 list: 49ers LB Fred Warner, Falcons DL Steven Means, Panthers CB Derrek Thomas and G Chris Reed, and Saints RB Dwayne Washington.
So, in summary, the NFL had 64 players test positive during the camp ramp-up period, and 107 before that. In the 18 days after that, they administered more than 46,000 tests to a base of players that numbers around 2,700 (that total fluctuates, obviously), and just four tested positive. And that was during the period in which actual football—a sport some worried would be a super-spreader—began (Aug. 12 was the start of OTA-style practices for 30 teams).
By any measure, that’s a great level of success, and the football folks have learned a lot. And to give you an idea of just what they’ve taken in, I polled a bunch of head coaches and GMs via text Wednesday night with three questions, to try and get their take on how it’s gone. Here’s how those involved, on the ground floor, see it.
NFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “It takes a huge group to manage the COVID issues. Lots of problem-solving and ability to adjust on the fly.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Travel. We are all mostly here or home. Baseball seems to struggle with that. Will we have controlled environments?”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “Confidence is really high. Keep doing the next right thing!”
NFC GM
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “Having to manage and educate the last month IS the new normal.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Biggest concern going forward is letting our guard down and the virus coming on strong.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I’m very confident in the season getting played. Protocols are great, and players and staff are doing well.”
NFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “It’s about daily reminders to players and coaches and being willing to be a pain in the ass with protocols.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Any symptoms triggering someone to be out—even when it’s not COVID-19. The symptoms are so general that when fall and winter hit, everyone can have symptoms on every day.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “Confidence is high. But we’ll have some roller-coaster moments and weird scenarios play out (all of those are going to be surprises when they come up).”
AFC GM
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “Biggest thing I have learned is don’t buckle your knees, expect the unexpected and remain vigilant with all players, coaches and staff to mask up, wash hands and social distance when possible.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Biggest concern going forward is that we have a position wiped out for a game, should there be a mini-outbreak at a position.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I do believe the season will be played. At a minimum, I believe we will get 12 games, plus playoffs in. As we sit here today, I see us playing all 16.”
NFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “I’ve learned that having to test every day helps keep everybody disciplined (I hope it stays that way).”
My biggest concern going forward: “I hope we don’t lose our focus and get complacent.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I am fairly confident we will play. If we can stay disciplined, we have a good chance to play 16 games. I also appreciate how cooperative the NFL and NFLPA have been. It just shows that we can work together.”
AFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “If you consistently follow protocols, we can manage this. And we must not let people in our bubble.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Biggest concern is travel. You hope airlines, hotels, buses and facilities are on par. Then it’s the players leaving the bubble. Most won’t, but all it takes is one.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “Higher than what it was!”
AFC GM
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “Expect the unexpected. [False positives were] actually a good ‘fire drill’ on how to handle a potential outbreak. Also, I’m proud of how all of our staff/coaches/players have made good decisions outside of the building so far.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Biggest concern is making sure we all continue to make good decisions once the time constraints from training camp are reduced.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “My confidence level was very low in mid-July but has grown each week. I think we have a good shot at getting this season in.”
NFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “I guess the biggest thing I have learned, some of the protocols are silly, such as wearing masks during a game or in a press box, not being able to leave the hotel but we can go anywhere we want in our own city, etc.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Biggest concern is false positives and a position group out on game day.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I think I’m more confident that the season will be played now.”
AFC GM
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “Managing COVID administratively has involved many people, not just ICO’s [infection control officers]. We have used staff from other departments on a full-time basis to help with this.”
My biggest concern going forward: “I’m concerned with the league doing so well in camp, but now players will have more time outside the building. I hope higher exposure to the general population, combined with potential complacency, does not lead to positives.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I am very confident for a full season.”
NFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “WEAR YOUR MASKS. It’s mandatory in our building.”
My biggest concern going forward: “My biggest concern is people getting relaxed. Moving forward, it’s all of us understanding how important it is to be selfless and be smart outside our bubble/complex.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I feel very good about getting started.”
AFC GM
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “That the adaptability of everyone in our organization to adjust, to create a workplace where our players and staff can still come to work, be productive, and feel safe has been outstanding.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Obviously that our players, coaches, staff and the families of those in our organization stay safe and understanding of the environment we are all working in.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “We are confident that we are going to do all we can to make sure we adhere to the protocols, work hard, stay safe, try to get better each day, and see where that takes us, that’s the only thing we can control.”
***
As you can see, across the NFL, there’s a pretty good understanding that no one’s out of the woods yet—regardless of how strong a start pro football seems to be off to. But one thing that was common among all these guys, when I followed up, was that they’ve all been surprised at how relatively smooth the whole thing’s been for the last six or seven weeks.
Here’s hoping it stays that way.
Albert Breer
Sep 3, 2020
I had a back porch off my vacation house this July where I’d get cell service (it was pretty sketchy everywhere else), and over those three weeks, I wound up spending a lot of time out there.
That, of course, was during the final run-up to training camp. And the calls were coming during a time of year that would normally be quiet.
We were all trying to figure out what was ahead.
The NFL and NFLPA were negotiating protocols, and coaches and scouts and, yes, media were piecing together what the second half of the summer would look like. Some coaches believed the sport itself simply wasn’t compatible with COVID-19. Others worried about their own, or their families’, underlying health issues. Still others called to commiserate over some 60 pages of protocols that landed on their desks a few days after July Fourth.
What was ahead was, really, the great unknown.
A month-and-a-half later, we know a lot more. And by just about any measure, the NFL’s handling of the pandemic has been an enormous success. That’s a tribute to two groups of people on opposite sides of the table, with neither minimizing the circumstances in front of them, nor seeing them as unsurmountable, and then everyone toeing the line afterward.
“We have been really fortunate,” commissioner Roger Goodell said on a conference call this week. “The cases of COVID-19 are very low across the league. It is a testament to the plans, but most importantly to the diligence of the players, the teams and their staffs. I would tell you that we still have more work to do. We are not going to get comfortable. We will remain vigilant, resilient and flexible and basically adapt to circumstances as needed.”
Goodell’s right. It’s taken everyone to get this far, and it’ll take everyone to keep it going.
As for those coaches and GMs I talked to on the deck back in July? They’ve learned a lot since then and, with the season here, we’re about to dive right into that with them.
But we’re starting with a look at what NFL people have learned over the last six weeks.
***
This is it for training camps. Most teams have already transitioned their starters from camp mode into preparing for the season opener. Most roster spots have been won. The final cutdown is about 48 hours away.
So here are some of the results over that time …
• From the start of camp through Aug. 11, 64 players tested positive for COVID-19. On top of that, 67 players opted out of the 2020 season. And there were 107 known player positives before the start of camp.
• From Aug. 12 to Aug. 20, the NFL administered 58,397 tests to 8,573 people—23,260 to players and 35,137 to other personnel. In that stretch, zero players tested positive, and six other personnel tested positive.
• From Aug. 21 to Aug. 29, the league administered 58,621 tests to 8,739 people—23,279 to players, and 35,342 to other personnel. Over that time, four players tested positive, and six other personnel tested positive.
• There are five players currently on the COVID-19 list: 49ers LB Fred Warner, Falcons DL Steven Means, Panthers CB Derrek Thomas and G Chris Reed, and Saints RB Dwayne Washington.
So, in summary, the NFL had 64 players test positive during the camp ramp-up period, and 107 before that. In the 18 days after that, they administered more than 46,000 tests to a base of players that numbers around 2,700 (that total fluctuates, obviously), and just four tested positive. And that was during the period in which actual football—a sport some worried would be a super-spreader—began (Aug. 12 was the start of OTA-style practices for 30 teams).
By any measure, that’s a great level of success, and the football folks have learned a lot. And to give you an idea of just what they’ve taken in, I polled a bunch of head coaches and GMs via text Wednesday night with three questions, to try and get their take on how it’s gone. Here’s how those involved, on the ground floor, see it.
NFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “It takes a huge group to manage the COVID issues. Lots of problem-solving and ability to adjust on the fly.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Travel. We are all mostly here or home. Baseball seems to struggle with that. Will we have controlled environments?”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “Confidence is really high. Keep doing the next right thing!”
NFC GM
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “Having to manage and educate the last month IS the new normal.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Biggest concern going forward is letting our guard down and the virus coming on strong.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I’m very confident in the season getting played. Protocols are great, and players and staff are doing well.”
NFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “It’s about daily reminders to players and coaches and being willing to be a pain in the ass with protocols.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Any symptoms triggering someone to be out—even when it’s not COVID-19. The symptoms are so general that when fall and winter hit, everyone can have symptoms on every day.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “Confidence is high. But we’ll have some roller-coaster moments and weird scenarios play out (all of those are going to be surprises when they come up).”
AFC GM
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “Biggest thing I have learned is don’t buckle your knees, expect the unexpected and remain vigilant with all players, coaches and staff to mask up, wash hands and social distance when possible.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Biggest concern going forward is that we have a position wiped out for a game, should there be a mini-outbreak at a position.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I do believe the season will be played. At a minimum, I believe we will get 12 games, plus playoffs in. As we sit here today, I see us playing all 16.”
NFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “I’ve learned that having to test every day helps keep everybody disciplined (I hope it stays that way).”
My biggest concern going forward: “I hope we don’t lose our focus and get complacent.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I am fairly confident we will play. If we can stay disciplined, we have a good chance to play 16 games. I also appreciate how cooperative the NFL and NFLPA have been. It just shows that we can work together.”
AFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “If you consistently follow protocols, we can manage this. And we must not let people in our bubble.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Biggest concern is travel. You hope airlines, hotels, buses and facilities are on par. Then it’s the players leaving the bubble. Most won’t, but all it takes is one.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “Higher than what it was!”
AFC GM
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “Expect the unexpected. [False positives were] actually a good ‘fire drill’ on how to handle a potential outbreak. Also, I’m proud of how all of our staff/coaches/players have made good decisions outside of the building so far.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Biggest concern is making sure we all continue to make good decisions once the time constraints from training camp are reduced.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “My confidence level was very low in mid-July but has grown each week. I think we have a good shot at getting this season in.”
NFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “I guess the biggest thing I have learned, some of the protocols are silly, such as wearing masks during a game or in a press box, not being able to leave the hotel but we can go anywhere we want in our own city, etc.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Biggest concern is false positives and a position group out on game day.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I think I’m more confident that the season will be played now.”
AFC GM
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “Managing COVID administratively has involved many people, not just ICO’s [infection control officers]. We have used staff from other departments on a full-time basis to help with this.”
My biggest concern going forward: “I’m concerned with the league doing so well in camp, but now players will have more time outside the building. I hope higher exposure to the general population, combined with potential complacency, does not lead to positives.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I am very confident for a full season.”
NFC head coach
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “WEAR YOUR MASKS. It’s mandatory in our building.”
My biggest concern going forward: “My biggest concern is people getting relaxed. Moving forward, it’s all of us understanding how important it is to be selfless and be smart outside our bubble/complex.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “I feel very good about getting started.”
AFC GM
Biggest thing I’ve learned: “That the adaptability of everyone in our organization to adjust, to create a workplace where our players and staff can still come to work, be productive, and feel safe has been outstanding.”
My biggest concern going forward: “Obviously that our players, coaches, staff and the families of those in our organization stay safe and understanding of the environment we are all working in.”
Your confidence level that the season gets played: “We are confident that we are going to do all we can to make sure we adhere to the protocols, work hard, stay safe, try to get better each day, and see where that takes us, that’s the only thing we can control.”
***
As you can see, across the NFL, there’s a pretty good understanding that no one’s out of the woods yet—regardless of how strong a start pro football seems to be off to. But one thing that was common among all these guys, when I followed up, was that they’ve all been surprised at how relatively smooth the whole thing’s been for the last six or seven weeks.
Here’s hoping it stays that way.
