#Team doctors OK NFL training camp opening with ‘a couple reservations’

NFL team doctors have given the green-light for training camp.

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith told reporters Friday that union officials held a call with team doctors, who gave the opinion that it is safe to open training camp despite “a couple reservations,” according to the NFL Network.

Players around the league will likely be skeptical of the opinion, as the doctors are team employees. Recently, numerous high-profile players publicly declared their safety concerns. Texans defensive end JJ Watt posted a list of questions yet to be answered by the league on Twitter, and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tweeted “stuff is crazy man. All this time we had and now we are down to this” in response to a report that players would face discipline if they don’t report to training camp.

Rookies for the Giants and Jets are set to report on Tuesday, with veterans due to follow on July 28.

On the call, Smith also discussed the surge in positive cases of coronavirus in many of the areas that host NFL teams. Specifically, Watt’s Houston has seen a steady rise in cases in recent weeks.

Despite the rising cases in many NFL cities, team doctors “provided medical reasons” why it is their opinion to move forward with the season, according to Smith.

The union has “looked at all of our options” in case they feel the league is not operating safely. Recently, Giants union representative Nate Solder tweeted “If the NFL doesn’t do their part to keep players healthy there is no football. It’s that simple.”

Daily, wide-scale testing is atop the union’s safety demands, according to Smith.

“We believe daily testing is important, especially given some of these hot spots,” Smith said. “We don’t right now plan on changing that position.”

Smith and NFLPA president J.C. Tretter noted the doctors did have some reservations about the protocols that needed to be addressed before players report. Those include the frequency and protocols for testing, quarantining the ramp-up period prior to the season and what occurs should a player test positive a few days before a game.

“NFL clubs met today via videoconference and received an update on preparations for the 2020 season,” the league said in a statement. “We will continue to implement the health and safety protocols developed jointly with the NFLPA, and based on the advice of leading medical experts, including review by the CDC. We will address additional issues in a cooperative way. All decisions will be made in an effort to put us in position to play a full regular season and postseason culminating with the Super Bowl which is the shared goal of the clubs and the players.”

The league and the NFLPA also discussed the economic ramifications of the pandemic. The league would like to take the financial hit over the next two years, cutting the size of the salary cap, while the union proposed to stretch the loss over the entire life of the current CBA, according to Pro Football Talk. Smith said a dramatic cut to the salary cap would lead to a significant number of players getting cut around the league.

The union’s priority is on player safety and will focus on the economic impact later, Smith said.