getty Qadree Ollison #32 of the Atlanta Falcons celebrates after scoring a touchdown.
Time seems to have stood still in the midst of the coronavirus, well at least in the sports world to keep the teams, players, and staff safe.
The NFL has prohibited any in-person visits free agent in Flowery Branch and across all 32 facilities through March 31 in order to protect all parties involved from the outbreak.
In a memo to teams, the NFL has implemented new rules for free agency and postponed the off-season training activities indefinitely, in a memo obtained by ESPN.
Announcements Considered Unofficial
The coronavirus will have a significant impact on how all NFL teams and their media platforms announce any free agency or trade transactions that occur at the start of the new league year on March 18.
The new rules will prevent teams, including the Falcons from giving any physical examination at their facility. Also, team staff, including those work for the team’s medical staff, are prohibited from traveling to any location to meet with or conduct a medical examination of a free agent player.
However, teams will get the opportunity to review past medical records of a free agent. This will give the Falcons a chance to decide whether or not they would like to arrange for a free agent to have a medical exam in the player’s home city or at another nearby location. Teams prefer to conduct physicals using their own training staff, but to speed the process up they might not have time to wait.
The NFL requires that a contract is not yet official until a player undergoes a physical exam with his new team’s medical staff. In addition, the NFL isn’t allowing any teams to announce that they have agreed to terms with a player, meaning that a signed contract must be completed prior to any announcement.
Due to the circumstances with COVID-19 and the fact that contracts cant be officially signed without a physical examination, and because teams are unable to arrange physicals in their own facilities until at least March 31, all official announcements of transactions may be delayed.
The Falcons’ media reports will simply be unofficial reports until exams have taken place and a contract is signed.
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NFL Draft Update
Free agency and trades aren’t the only events that will be effect by this outbreak. The NFL draft will still take place from April 23-25 in Las Vegas.
The disappointing kicker is that the annual selection process will no longer include public events in Las Vegas due to COVID-19.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell explained in a news release that the decision to cancel events in Las Vegas was made with help of medical experts.
“This decision reflects our foremost priority — the health and safety of all fans and citizens,” Goodell in a statement. “While this outcome is disappointing both to the NFL and to the Las Vegas community, we look forward to partnering with the Raiders, the City of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for a future NFL Draft as well as evaluating opportunities for other major NFL events in Las Vegas in the future, including the Super Bowl.”
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