‘We could get another lockdown of the league’ – Fans react as 2022 NFL training camp set to open without COVID-19 safety protocols
The start of training camps for the 2022-23 NFL season is still a few weeks away, but when they arrive, it seems like everything will be back to normal. According to The Washington Post, teams anticipate starting training camp later this month without any COVID-19 policies. This will be the first time since the epidemic began that the NFL will enter training camp without COVID precautions (masks, contact tracing, etc.), barring any unforeseen environmental changes.
The NFL and NFLPA agreed to halt all COVID-19 testing and protocols back in March, which led to the publication of this study. The message distributed to all 32 teams emphasized that they were dissolving the procedures because of the pandemic’s overall direction, but it did leave the door open to re-enacting parts of them in case things change.
The email noted that the NFL will continue to work closely with clubs, our respective experts, as well as local, state, the NFLPA, and federal public health agencies, “should there be a cause to reimpose portions of the procedures or to take additional steps.”
Teams are apparently preparing for a camp where there won’t be any procedures, which signals that the NFL and NFLPA will maintain this suspension. The NFL will no longer have any requirements, such as the use of masks, but clubs are still expected to abide by any municipal and state laws still in force.
NFL fans react to training camps opening without COVID-19 protocols
On Twitter, one wrote, “We can possibly get back to preparing ourselves for another sports lockdown” while another added, “Really poor planning from the NFL and NFLPA because COVID is still a threat.” A third then wrote, “COVID isn’t going to go away just like that. The NFL board are proper clowns. And this is coming from one of the biggest football leagues in the world.” Listed below are some more reactions:
“And just like that… the COVID went away” – Forrest Gump pic.twitter.com/bpVElCzxsN
— Lighten up, Everyone. (@Mando_Moose) July 10, 2022
Wrong was signed right before week one and got Covid in week 4 had zero amount of time to learn a playbook that NFL Vets say learning a new playbook takes 4-8 weeks hence why there is a training camp bozo 🤡🤡🤡🤡
— ErkTheTurk (@AdamErkan2) June 10, 2022
https://twitter.com/HandsOffMyMead/status/1545941076493623297
So 800k cases per week and claiming and now it doesn’t matter. Last year it was 94k per week … wtf .
— Cristopher B Williams (@janglybones) July 10, 2022
🧵1/2 That means the league will not mandate that players wear masks, participate in contact tracing, wear bracelets, or otherwise partake in any of the standard Covid protocols the league has had in place since 2020.The NFL did, however, leave open the possibility of
— Argo Times (@argo_times) July 10, 2022
https://twitter.com/SmithWinston44/status/1545947243760459777
Uh huh cause a no training camp, busted, injury riddled, Covid season is just like a regular nfl season. #smh
— Clelland Green (@ClellandGreen) July 5, 2022
More NFL news:
- Super Bowl winner and TV personality Tony Siragusa passes away aged 55
- How many Super Bowl rings does Rob Gronkowski have?
- Deshaun Watson has settled 20 of 24 sexual misbehaviour cases filed against him
Follow our NFL page for more key NFL updates and news
