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According to insiders who spoke with Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson, NFL head coaches could potentially return to facilities next week. Following that, players could potentially return for minicamps starting as early as mid-late June.
Per Robinson, the decision to allow players to come back in some way, shape, or form is all “depending on COVID-19 data and whether a handful of franchises get a ‘go ahead’ signal from state governments to resume full operations.”
Sources: #NFL head coaches could return to team facilities as early as next week, with full-squad minicamps potentially on the docket for mid-to-late June.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) May 26, 2020
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A different source for Yahoo Sports has said that the dates of June 15 and June 27 have been tabbed as a preliminary window for potential full-squad minicamps. If minicamps were to take place on the 27th, which is roughly two weeks later than when normal minicamps take place, training camps would then get pushed deeper into July.
According Cleveland Browns center and President of the NFLPA, J.C. Tretter, the Players Association would need to agree to any kind of reopening plan before players would return to the facilities.
Players: our union has not agreed to any reopening plan. Any reports about coming back to work are hypothetical. You will hear from the NFLPA when there are new developments.
— JC Tretter (@JCTretter) May 26, 2020
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross had some confident thoughts on the matter in a recent interview with CNBC.
“I think there definitely will be a football season this year,” Ross said. “Real question is, will there be fans in the stadium? Right now — today — we’re planning to have fans in the stadium. … We all miss our sports. The NFL, I think, will be ready to go. I know we’re all looking forward to it. I know I am.”