The recent memo from the league office to all teams created some confusion as to whether the NFL still adheres to the principle that no team facility will open until all can. There is no confusion regarding Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s views on the matter: He believes that all facilities should open at the same time.
“I prescribe to the approach of competitive fairness within our game, and that is everybody gets an opportunity,” Tomlin told reporters on Saturday, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com. “Our game is extremely competitive. It’s one of the things that make football at this level so attractive to our fans. I’m committed to preserving and protecting that, and so all teams getting an opportunity to start on the same footing is a core element of that.”
The memo from the league office to all teams, a copy of which PFT obtained, requires teams to develop by May 15 plans for a “Phase 1" reopening. Those plans including securing approval from state and local authorities to reopen. The league separately informed PFT that the all-or-none concept has not been abandoned.
“There’s a couple of things that we’re committed to adhering to, and that’s the global approach of the National Football League in regards to football ops and how important competitive fairness is in our game,” Tomlin said. “We all got to get started on the same footing in that regard. Then, also, respecting our local government and the guidelines they prescribe individually in terms of workplace safety.”
The nation currently is moving toward a relaxation of regulations that have kept people inside for weeks. As long as the NFL continues to take the position that no facilities will reopen until all can, however, the league will be at the mercy of only one governor, mayor, and/or county executive. By putting the kibosh on opening only one facility, all facilities will remain shut down.