Training camp for all 32 NFL teams will begin on July 28, according to a memo issued by the league office on Saturday. They cut it awfully close, but this is ultimately a good sign for the regular season to go ahead as planned.
Before 7/28, the league’s rookies will report on July 21. Meanwhile, quarterbacks and injured players will be able to report starting on July 23. The Chiefs and Texans stand as exceptions – KC rookies and quarterbacks will show up for work on Monday. Ditto for Houston’s rookies.
Meanwhile, there are still a host of issues to be resolved between the NFL and the NFLPA. The latest comments from union leads DeMaurice Smith and J.C. Tretter expressed disappointment and frustration with the status of talks thus far.
“Players are taking all of the risk by returning to work,” the NFLPA said in a statement on Friday. “We also know there will be a shortfall in revenues next year, but players cannot be asked to bear the full brunt of both the health and safety risk and the financial one. We are bargaining for fair and reasonable ways to soften the short-term economic losses in our business.”
The union had no legal grounds to delay the start of training camp. Instead, Smith says the NFLPA will work to ensure the safest environment possible with the help of team physicians.