Players from two teams — the Broncos and Seahawks — released statements Tuesday saying they will not report for voluntary offseason workouts. Others figure to follow suit.
In-person workouts are scheduled to begin Monday, though the NFL Players Association has been adamant since the end of last year that it preferred a repeat of last season’s virtual workouts. In December, union president J.C. Tretter, a Browns center, wrote that he wanted offseason Zoom meetings to become permanent.
Last season’s virtual-only meetings came as a result of the coronavirus; teams didn’t gather for full workouts until training camp.
Owners and the union have disagreed about a potential return — and the coronavirus protocols that come with them — in recent weeks.
A statement on behalf of the Seattle Seahawks players: pic.twitter.com/4Bwl4KkEOI
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) April 13, 2021
In their statements Tuesday, released by the NFLPA, players from both teams cited coronavirus concerns as the reason they wouldn’t report.
Players cannot be fined for missing voluntary workouts — though, traditionally, most players attend them in April and May. The NFL’s offseason program ends with mandatory workouts in June, and players can be fined for missing them.
Training camps, which begin in late July, are mandatory.
