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NFL's coronavirus guidelines are 'humanly impossible' to follow in full compliance, according to Ravens coach John Harbaugh

Tyler Lauletta   

NFL's coronavirus guidelines are 'humanly impossible' to follow in full compliance, according to Ravens coach John Harbaugh
  • Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh called the NFL's guidelines regarding social distancing "impossible" to follow in full compliance.
  • In an interview with 105.7 The Fan, Harbaugh pointed out that there are some points in football that necessitate players being in close contact, whether on the field in the huddle or in the locker rooms and showers after practice.
  • "We're going to space, we're going to have masks," Harbaugh said. "But, you know, it's a communication sport. We have to be able to communicate with each other in person. We have to practice."

NFL training camps are set to begin in late July, with coaches and players gathering for the first time since the end of the 2019 season after the COVID-19 pandemic forced teams to forego other activities scheduled for earlier in the summer.

In order to stem the spread of the coronavirus as camps begin, the league sent teams a set of guidelines on Monday that emphasized social distancing and cleanliness.

While the guidelines are in the interest of ensuring that football is able to get back to the season without further interruption, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said it would be "impossible" for teams to follow all of the new rules and restrictions that were put in place.

"I've seen all the memos on that, and to be quite honest with you, it's impossible what they're asking us to do. Humanly impossible," Harbaugh said in an interview with 105.7 The Fan, as ESPN transcribed. "So, we're going to do everything we can do. We're going to space, we're going to have masks. But, you know, it's a communication sport. We have to be able to communicate with each other in person. We have to practice."

As Harbaugh pointed out, there are some necessities of football that cannot be accomplished while also distancing.

"I'm pretty sure the huddle is not going to be 6-feet spaced," Harbaugh said. "Are guys going to shower one at a time all day? Are guys going to lift weights one at a time all day? These are things the league and the [players' association] needs to get a handle on and needs to get agreed with some common sense so we can operate in a 13-hour day in training camp that they're giving us and get our work done. That's the one thing, you can tell by my voice, I'm a little frustrated with what I'm hearing there. And I think they need to get that pinned down a little better.

"I think good people, smart people are involved in this," Harbaugh said. "But the way I'm reading these memos right now, you throw your hands up and you go, 'What the heck? There's no way this can be right.'"

Harbaugh instead looked at the current guidelines as a starting point from which the league could iron out a better plan, saying he expected "more realistic and practical" guidelines to be in place by the time the preseason rolls around in August.

Figuring out how to safely bring teams back to a sport that demands close contact will be one of the ongoing questions of the 2020 season, but as camps carry into the start of the preseason, the league should have plenty of chances to fine-tune its plan.

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