The NFL dropped the hammer on five head coaches who kept their face coverings drooped below their chins for most if not all of their Week Two games. Per a league source, those were the only five coaches who faced any type of fine.
Although 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, Broncos coach Vic Fangio, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, Saints coach Sean Payton, and Raiders coach Jon Gruden were the most blatant about it, others failed to comply with the mandate that the mouth and the nose constantly be covered.
For the others, there was no fine at all. The end result amounts to mixed signals about whether full compliance is indeed required.
Apparently, it’s not. For the five who were fined $100,000 each (with their teams fined another $250,000 each), however, it probably makes sense to not press their luck when it comes to partially wearing a mask.
All of this overlooks the broader question of whether it even makes sense for coaches who, like players, are tested every day should even be required to wear masks. Unless and until the rule is scrapped, however, that remains the rule.