It was earlier this month that the NFL laid out guidelines for teams to gradually reopen their facilities since they were initially closed back in March due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Some teams have taken that step while working with both the NFL and local authorities. Others haven’t.
The Cleveland Browns are the latest team to announce they will reopen their facility on June 1 (next Monday).
As has been the case under NFL guidelines, no players or coaches will be allowed at team facilities during the first phase. That could ultimately come at some point soon.
Previous reports suggested that the NFL could hold full squad minicamps at some point in June. That would represent an escalation as it relates to players returning to facilities. It would also represent even more optimism that the 2020 NFL season will start as planned in September.
As it relates to Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine (R) already announced that sports can resume in his state.
Given the state-by-state policies surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a lot of questions about how things will play out in the sports world.
For example, Texas has announced that teams hosting games in outdoor facilities can resume playing with said venues at 25% capacity. California Governor Gavin Newsom has said multiple times that spectators will not be allowed in sporting events in his state through the end of the calendar year.
For now, NFL teams reopening their facilities has to be seen as a step in the right direction. It’s now going to be all about the next step in the process.
That includes getting players and coaches in, conducting off-season programs in-person and hopefully seeing training camp start at some point within the next two months.