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With the NFL on an indefinite hiatus due to the spread of coronavirus, they have sent an email to players on how to conduct their offseason training while having no access to team facilities.
ESPN journalist Brooke Pryor obtained the email containing the new set of rules and posted it on Twitter:
Email sent to all NFL players tonight on the 2020 dead period rules ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/LL0A3jIWqD
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) April 7, 2020
This set of rules for the “dead period” is strict. Players can’t participate in anything with coaches, including virtually. The best they could come up with was for team personnel to send video with instructional voiceovers, diagrams, schematics and written commentary.
The league is in talks with the NFLPA on doing more “hands on” virtual work with players, but until they come to an agreement, the pre-recorded videos will be their only means of coaching at the moment.
This void in personal interaction between coaches and players will be the most detrimental to teams with new coaches like the Panthers, Cowboys, Browns, Giants and Washington along with teams that are lacking in veterans who have gone through multiple offseason programs.