The Kansas City Chiefs are moving forward with training camp as scheduled.
The United States is in the midst of yet another surge of COVID-19 cases. States are making difficult decisions based on daily data on what to do about large gatherings and school re-openings, but the NFL is clearly planning on maintaining the 2020 schedule as planned. The Kansas City Chiefs are doing their part to keep the train moving by telling their players to report to training camp as normal.
In the face of a global pandemic, NFL reporter Tom Pelissero has the word that some Chiefs players have been asked to report for coronavirus tests on Monday. The full report is as follows:
The #Chiefs are telling players camp is a go, with rookies and QBs to report for COVID-19 testing Monday, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 16, 2020
There's no agreement on outstanding issues between the NFL and NFLPA, I'm told. But team has right under the CBA to tell players to report.
From there, other veteran players will follow suit, but the lack of protocols negotiated between the league and the NFL Player’s Association at this point is confusing. It’s hard to tell whether to count on this news or whether changes will be made in the schedule, but players have to make firm travel plans as they arrive from all over the country.
The Chiefs and Houston Texans are scheduled to open the regular season in primetime on Thursday Night Football on September 10. While that date is still several weeks away, training camp is typically set to begin in late July with four full preseason games scheduled to help teams make decisions on final rosters and to allow players to work themselves into game shape. It’s the latter reason there that many players should be concerned as the league has already cancelled half of all preseason games, and the NFLPA is arguing against having any such exhibitions at all.
Training camp was originally scheduled to begin on July 25.