Bubble-like environment a possibility for NFLs postseason, league says – ESPN

The NFL will consider possibilities for a postseason bubble that would even more protect gamers, coaches and team member from the coronavirus during the most essential video games of the season, executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said Wednesday.
New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton brought up the concept throughout a current competition committee meeting, Vincent stated. The league has made no dedications, and Vincent stated he isnt sure whether it is something the league can do “lawfully.” He restated that “all things are on the table” at the minute.
Sills and the teams would check out. These are things that we simply have to be versatile on.”

2 RelatedBubbles that separate gamers, coaches and key team member from the regional community have worked well for the NBA, WNBA, NHL and expert soccer. The NFL considered however eventually decided against real market bubbles for the season, pointing out the relative practicality of what would be at least six months of seclusion. Instead, it produced what Sills has called a “virtual football bubble” consisting of rigorous protocols at team facilities and possible player discipline for dangerous habits when away from it.
The method has yielded strong early results, and as of Tuesday just 10 players stayed on the leagues reserve/COVID -19 list. Some groups, consisting of the Saints and Dallas Cowboys, have created voluntary bubbles for gamers during training camp that allow them to shuttle between the practice and a hotel center without significant exposure to the surrounding neighborhood.
In other league news Wednesday:
* Vincent verified that commissioner Roger Goodell has actually formed a COVID-19 advisory board to help make some choices during the season that usually would fall under the competitors committees purview. Vincent declined to name the members of the board, however stated they would assist Goodell make decisions about possible schedule changes, posts ponement, cancellations and other issues that could be a dispute of interest for the competition committees members.
* The NFL tweaked its protocol to remove testing for anybody who was known to have checked favorable in the previous 90 days. The change reflects new CDC guidance that previously infected individuals maintain resistance for at least 3 months. They will not be checked, those individuals will still be needed to follow mask and other individual protective devices protocol.
* The league dispersed travel and game-day procedures to teams today. In order to minimize the variety of individuals on the field before a game, the league has disallowed cheerleaders, mascots, sideline press reporters and fans from the field at all times.

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton brought up the concept during a recent competition committee conference, Vincent stated. 2 RelatedBubbles that separate gamers, coaches and essential personnel members from the local community have worked well for the NBA, WNBA, NHL and expert soccer. The NFL considered but eventually chosen against real market bubbles for the season, mentioning the relative usefulness of what would be at least 6 months of isolation. Rather, it developed what Sills has actually called a “virtual football bubble” consisting of strict procedures at group centers and possible player discipline for dangerous habits when away from it.
* The NFL tweaked its protocol to eliminate screening for any person who was understood to have evaluated positive in the past 90 days.

* Sills stated that the league is following advancements in saliva screening however offered no indication that it would switch from its current procedure of PCR tests. “Anything we do needs to be infiltrated the lens of having the most precise and efficient test that we can,” he said.
* Sills said that feedback has been “mixed” on a plastic mask designed by Oakley that attaches to helmets and is developed to minimize spread of the virus throughout practices and games. Concerns about the breathability of the mask have led Oakley to establish a new variation that will quickly be distributed, Sills stated.
* There has been no choice on whether the league will continue to perform day-to-day COVID-19 testing during the regular season, Sills stated. The NFL and NFL Players Association testing agreement ends Sept. 5, after which they will need to choose whether to extend the day-to-day tests or, if infection rates stay low, decrease them to every other day.