The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to suspend all league-wide COVID-19 protocols effective immediately, ending two years of a successful effort to play through the pandemic.
The League sent a memo Thursday morning detailing the decision “based on current encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity” of the coronavirus.
Many of the league’s strictest protocols were dropped by the end of the 2021 season, including mandatory testing for asymptomatic players and team staff, requirements to wear contact tracing devices, and distancing restrictions in weight rooms and cafeterias.
Teams can choose to impose their own mask policies if they want; the memo does make sure to leave open the possibility of reverting to a level of protocols if circumstances dictate.
