Many players wonder what the postponement of NFL teams' offseason programs due to the coronavirus pandemic will mean for their preparation for the upcoming season. One San Francisco 49ers veteran defender isn't among those concerned.
Cornerback Richard Sherman recently told Albert Breer of The MMQB that he continues to get work in on his Peloton, and has even found ways to get onto the basketball court.
The training facility where Sherman typically works out during the offseason remains open, with the staff and visitors taking proper precautions given the heightened awareness surrounding the pandemic.
Sherman plans to begin running ladders and stadium steps soon, likely all while practicing social distancing. After all, he has his wife, Ashley, and two young children at home to consider.
"With my routine, I don't really ramp until we get closer to the season anyway," Sherman told Breer. "I wouldn't need an offseason program; I think most veterans would tell you that. The lockout year, that was my rookie year, we went straight into the season, and it wasn't really a concern for us. For a lot of us, that stuff's a waste of time. It's good for the young guys, but not as much for a guy who's 10 years into playing in a scheme."
Sherman thinks back to October and November when NFL locker rooms were struck hard by what everyone assumed to be the flu. The cornerback wonders if maybe COVID-19 had hit the league early.
One benefit from the lack or delay of an offseason program is that the 49ers, who played five more weeks worth of football than most teams, will be on equal footing as the rest of the NFL. They won't have the disadvantage that typically comes from playing deep into the playoffs. Those squads usually have truncated timeframes to rest before getting back to work. That won't be the case this offseason, as everyone stays away from team facilities to combat the spread of the virus.
Sherman, a nine-year veteran, is preparing to enter the final season of his three-year contract with the 49ers. He joined San Francisco in 2018 after seven seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.
H/t to Dalton Johnson, a contributor at NBC Sports Bay Area, for the find.