The NFL has seemingly given the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) what it wants, offering to eliminate all preseason games leading to the 2020 regular season, according to both NFL Network and ESPN.
NFL offered the NFLPA today to play zero preseason games this summer, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 20, 2020
Per source, the league today offered the union zero preseason games. A big step.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 20, 2020
The NFL was fighting to keep at least one preseason game on the schedule, with the players union wanting to cancel all of the exhibition games.
This is the second concession by the NFL reported today, as the league tries to push forward with training camps. The NFLPA had been arguing for daily COVID-19 testing as players prepare to report to training camps across the league. The NFL wanted to conduct less frequent testing.
It was reported today that there would be daily testing for the virus over the next two weeks. Testing will change to every other day after two weeks should positive-test rates fall.
This is the COVID-19 testing trailer inside the gates of the #49ers parking lot at Levi's Stadium. The club has put into place a lot of new measures, including removal of all tables and chairs in cafeteria. There are many hand-sanitizing stations placed throughout the building. pic.twitter.com/Ehf5Lnrd2F
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) July 20, 2020
News also broke that the reporting date for 49ers rookies has been pushed back from Tuesday to Thursday, when just quarterbacks and injured players were scheduled to report. The rest of the team is slated to arrive next week. However, that will be to conduct the initial round of COVID-19 testing. After testing, players will go home and self-quarantine, and will not return until two days later for the second round of testing.
Should both tests return negative, that player will be allowed into the team's facilities.
Of course, all of that is assuming Santa Clara County approves the 49ers' plans and protocols to open and conduct training camp safely, which remain under review.
