The NFL responded Tuesday night to the NFLPA’s counterproposal on coronavirus-related reopening protocols, but a source told ESPN that some major issues remain unresolved, including a dispute over whether COVID-19 should be classified as a “non-soccer related injury”.
According to sources, the NFLPA has made several requests to the league, including daily COVID-19 tests, removal of all preseason games, financial and other compensation for players who choose not to play for related reasons. with COVID and a provision that would maintain the 2021 salary cap decreased due to loss of 2020 income.
But a source said Wednesday that an important point is that the league’s proposal so far would classify COVID-19 as a non-soccer related injury. Players are pushing on that, because when a team places a player on the Non-Soccer Injury list, they are not required to pay that player.
Hypothetically, if a player contracts the virus during a practice or game and is placed in NFI as a result, his team would be entitled not to pay him during his absence. Obviously, the NFLPA is struggling to avoid that scenario.
Hovering over the discussions is the increase in coronavirus cases in states like Texas, Arizona and California and the growing possibility that those states will soon implement closure provisions that would limit large gatherings. If that happens, teams in those states may not be able to conduct training camps.
An earlier NFL-NFLPA agreement stipulates that teams this year must conduct training camps at their own team’s premises, and that if any team is unable to open its facilities, no team may open its facilities. For that reason, even though the league has insisted that it plans to start training camps and the regular season on time, there is a chance that external circumstances could force a delay in starting one or both.
In the early Wednesday afternoon, there were no more formal conversations scheduled between the NFL and the NFLPA, although they are expected to speak again soon. The NFLPA was conducting an internal planning call on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the latest NFL proposal, and the union was also conducting a pre-scheduled call with player agents later Wednesday afternoon.
Information from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN was used in this report.
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