The coronavirus pandemic has been something that we all knew would change certain aspects of life indefinitely, only nobody could tell exactly which aspects of life would change. As we sit here in -- oh my gosh -- Month 14 of the covid era of American life, it certainly feels like one aspect will never be the same is large companies' insistence that their employees put in the proverbial 9-to-5 while physically sitting in their offices day after day, week after week.
And that change could hit the NFL as well. Turns out, even pro football players want to continue working from home.
On Tuesday, the NFL Players Association released a statement announcing the Seattle Seahawks voted against holding in-person voluntary workouts heading into the 2021 season.
“Although we made it through the entire NFL season, we are also left with the uncomfortable experiences it took for each of us to make it through. Therefore, as voluntary in-person offseason workouts stumble upon us, we are left with yet another decision. The NFLPA has provided us with thorough research and information regarding our safety as players as we enter voluntary workouts this year, especially the benefits on our health and safety from a virtual offseason last year. After considering all the facts, we as a team have decided to make a decision that is uncomfortable but necessary," the statement read.
“For the protection of everyone’s safety, we the Seattle Seahawks are deciding to exercise our CBA right to not participate in voluntary in-person workouts. While many states in this country are still seeing rising COVID-19 numbers, we believe that a virtual offseason is best for everyone’s protection."
“Last year we did a virtual offseason. Nobody expected it to happen and it worked out perfectly fine,” wide receiver Tyler Lockett said. “We also want to do a virtual this year.”
The Seahawks statement noted the players did not record a single positive test throughout the 2020 campaign and, obviously, played all 16 games. The club went 12-4 and won the NFC West before losing to the LA Rams in the wild card round.
As a way to entice players to get vaccinated (and, thus, return to business as usual), the NFL sent a memo on Tuesday saying players, coaches and employees who take the vaccine would no longer be subject to the league's stringent virus testing-and-protocol program that loomed over the 2020 campaign.
But vaccine or no vaccine, it seems the WFH movement has it at least one NFL locker room, and maybe more.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.
Update: The Lions, Broncos and Buccaneers are now formally requesting to hold an entirely virtual offseason as well. Here's the Lions' statement.
Here is an NFL memo outlining the league-wide schedule for this offseason. How many teams will follow this?