The San Francisco 49ers have informed players to expect training camp to start later than the scheduled July 28 date due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee.
Update: Biderman has informed me that the story mistakenly published by the Sacramento Bee was an early draft. It has been temporarily unlisted on the site. The beat writer is awaiting more details before finalizing the article.
Update 2: The Sacramento Bee has removed the story, and Biderman has informed me that, for now, he is not reporting that the dates have been changed as things remain to be determined. Training camp dates ARE NOT being changed, at this time.
The NFL had emailed teams to expect to start training camps on schedule. Rookies are set to report on Tuesday, July 21, quarterbacks and injured players on Thursday, July 23, and all others on Tuesday, July 28, for all teams except the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs. That may not be the case for the 49ers.
"The move to push back the start of training camp — when the 90-man roster, coaching and support staffs, and media will presumably be on the practice field together — comes as daily positive cases of COVID-19 have increased locally and nationwide," writes Biderman. "The decision was made after weeks of deliberation with both local and state officials about the best way to conduct training camp amid the global pandemic."
Matt Barrows of The Athletic recently reached out to both the Governor's office and Santa Clara County. The latter is reviewing the 49ers' plans and protocols to open and conduct training camp safely.
There continue to be concerns from the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) on how the NFL plans to deal with issues arising from any potential positive tests for COVID-19, with many feeling that the policies in place are insufficient.
