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Texans, Chiefs rookies report to training camp

Field Level Media

July 20, 2020 at 6:35 pm.

Amidst a sea of uncertainty regarding the 2020 NFL season and doubts about preseason games, rookies for the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans began reporting to training camp on Monday.

Chiefs rookies were informed Sunday that training camp would be “a go.”

But to gain access to the team’s facility, all players must produce two negative COVID-19 test results before they can enter.

“That could take you into four days here,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday in a Zoom call with reporters. “There’s a point where we’ll be able to have the guys lift and meet with them and do a potential walk-through with them.”

Houston visits the Chiefs in the NFL regular-season opener on Sept. 10 in Kansas City. But getting to Week 1 of the regular season will involve clearing hurdles.

The NFL and union have been discussing protocol and safety issues for several days. The latest proposal exchanged includes reducing the number of preseason games to one per team, 16 total games.

In a typical year, teams play four preseason games apiece.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a slew of questions remain unanswered for players and coaches. Most teams are expecting veterans to report on July 28, but Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said he doubts camp will begin on time.

The NFL mandated teams hold training camp at team facilities and outlined tiered access for staff and players as a regulation to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Several states, most notably Florida, have experienced surges in positive tests for COVID-19, and the NFLPA broke out the risk factors by region in a message to its membership last week.

On Sunday, players launched a social media effort to implore the league to adopt greater safety standards and allow for at-risk players — or those with at-risk family members — to opt out of the 2020 season.

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