NFL teams face an unprecedented challenge this year. In addition to all the work that goes into preparing for a grueling season, teams now have to take extra precautions to avoid outbreaks of COVID-19. The league has instituted a number of new rules aimed at discouraging the spread, including a ban on post-game jersey swaps.
Everybody involved needs to take this seriously and adjust their behavior so the season has every chance at success. As for the Carolina Panthers, they were one of the first teams to get their emergency response plan approved by the NFLPA. They also have remodeled their locker rooms with both social distancing and the depth chart in mind.
In this video, you can see they have abandoned grouping players by position and instead have scattered everyone around. The idea is that one infected player can’t be sitting next to another guy who plays his spot and possibly putting the whole position group at risk. Watch.
Interesting stuff. Hopefully all of this works out and the season can finish on time. If it doesn’t, the NFL may have no choice but to embrace the bubble model that is working so well for the NBA and NHL.
