NFL Sends Out Memo Informing All Teams to Shut Down In-Person Activities on Monday and Tuesday
Matt Loede
The NFL has been doing whatever they can all season to play games and doing it safely, but it is starting to sound more and more that desperate measures are starting to come into play to keep the league running.
Friday evening the league announced that they want all 32 teams to shut down all in-person team activities on Monday and Tuesday.
The order to shut down activities came direct in a memo from league commissioner Roger Goodell.
The memo talks about the recent spike nationwide about the covid-19 virus, and now the NFL is concerned that the rate across the country is start to hit the league.
This comes hours after the AFC North game between the 10-0 Steelers and 6-4 Ravens that was at first slated for Thanksgiving night, then moved to Sunday at 1:15pm was moved a second time to Tuesday night at 8pm.
Medical authorities have widely feared a post-Thanksgiving COVID-19 case spike.
The NFL stopped short of having the shutdown apply to games and practices.
All games Sunday, the day before the shutdown, will proceed, as will Monday night's game between Seattle and Philadelphia.
"All activities must be conducted virtually [on Monday and Tuesday], with the exception of essential medical treatment and rehabilitation under the supervision of a team physician or athletic trainer," Goodell said in the memo.
"Medical staff and players must continue to comply with the rules outlined in the intensive protocol. Further, players and staff should be reminded that gatherings of any sort outside of the facility are prohibited."
More than a dozen Baltimore Raven players have landed this past week on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Among those on the list include the 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
The Ravens' outbreak appears to be slowing as of Friday after only one player, who is on the practice squad, tested positive that day.
There is still a chance that Tuesday's game could be postponed, but both the Steelers and Ravens have had their bye weeks, so it's going to be tough to figure out when the two teams would eventually play.
Related TopicsNFLRavensRoger GoodellSteelers
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