One defense we’ve seen being pushed in regard to Tennessee Titans players gathering for workouts in the midst of the team’s outbreak is that the NFL’s October 1 memo forbidding players from gathering outside the facility while closed was sent out after the workouts took place.
However, based on a new report by ESPN’s Dan Graziano on Thursday (h/t ESPN’s Turron Davenport), he confirms the original report by Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky that the team was told not to gather in any form before that memo was sent out, and even before the workouts took place.
Per Graziano, the Titans were told on September 29, one day before the pair of workouts that took place on September 30, and two days before the memo was sent out on October 1.
Further reporting by @DanGrazianoESPN confirmed this AM, the NFL DID in fact reach out to the #Titans on 9/29 to inform them that in-person meetings outside of the building are banned. @PaulKuharskyNFL had it 1st. The NFL memo on 10/1 was not the 1st time the Titans were told.
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) October 8, 2020
This instantly blows up the narrative that the Titans didn’t know they couldn’t gather for a workout until after doing so.
Recent reports suggest that the Titans are likely facing a punishment for violating protocols, and that it could be “historic” — and this latest development will only add fuel to that fire.
