As numerous NFL players have tested positive for COVID-19 following the league allowing teams access back into their facilities, the NFL issued a memo to teams as to how to handle the virus in their facilities with training camp quickly approaching.
In the memo, the league said that each team will be required to create an Infectious Disease Emergency Response plan that will detail how a team will minimize the spread of the virus.
The memo also stated that teams would have to organize members of their franchise into tiers that would outline which personnel can have access to where. This was meant to limit the number of people in certain restricted areas such as the field and locker room.
There will be three tiers for people to be placed into which are broken down as follows:
• Tier 1 will consist of players, coaches, trainers, physicians and necessary personnel who must have direct access to the players.
• Tier 2 will consist of general managers, football operations employees, other assistant coaches, video personnel, security and other essential personnel who may need to be in close proximity to the players and other Tier 1 individuals who may need to access restricted areas. Only individuals assigned to Tiers 1 and 2 will be permitted access to restricted areas, and there will be limits on the number of individuals from each team that can be assigned Tier 1 and Tier 2 access at any given time.
• Tier 3 will consist of certain operational personnel, in-house media and broadcast personnel, field manager, transportation providers and individuals who perform essential facility, stadium or event services but do not require close contact with Tier 1 individuals. Team and other personnel who work exclusively in areas of team facilities that are or will be completely cordoned off from the rest of the facility do not need to be credentialed in one of the three access tiers.
To enforce these rules, the league and the NFLPA have the right to perform surprise inspections to determine if all protocols are being followed, but it is unclear as to what the repercussions will be if these protocols are broken.
