After extended success as it relates to the pandemic, the triple-bogey arrived last week for the NFL, with the Tennessee outbreak and the Patriots/Chiefs postponement over a positive result on each team and the Saints’ Saturday night close call.
On Monday, the league will convene a conference call of all owners, coaches, and General Managers to discuss the situation. The scheduling of the call was first reported by Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
As one source explained it to PFT, it’s expected that the league will review further information that the NFL has developed regarding the pandemic -- and that the league will “read everybody the riot act” about following all protocols, with “big penalties” expected to be threatened.
The NFL threatened last week that suspensions and draft-pick forfeiture are on the table for coaches and sideline personnel who fail to properly wear masks. On Sunday, Raiders coach Jon Gruden once again failed to consistently cover his face -- even though the league fined him $100,000 for it, the league fined the Raiders $250,000 for it, the league separately fined the Raiders $50,000 for the presence of an unauthorized person in the locker room, and a group of Raiders violated the off-duty rules by attending a potential superspreader event last Monday night.
Regardless of whether Gruden gets a final warning before a suspension is imposed, the league’s now-regular entanglements with the pandemic make it more important than ever that everyone comply with all protocols.