Ravens’ Head John Coach Harbaugh Says NFL’s COVID-19 Rules Aren’t ‘Humanly Possible’ To Follow

The NFL has sent guidelines for all 32 of its teams to follow on returning to their facilities following the coronavirus pandemic. There are some who have their issues with the league’s guidelines including Baltimore Ravens’ head coach John Harbaugh, who expressed his frustrations on Thursday.

In speaking with 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore, Harbaugh said that the league’s guidelines will not be easy to follow. “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. 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. I’m pretty sure the huddle is not going to be 6-feet spaced. 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.”

With training camps starting in late July, there will certainly be some teams who try to bend the rules, and that has Harbaugh slightly concerned. “As a coach, you don’t want to hear that you’re limiting your operations as far as preparing your team and then you hear 10 other teams aren’t paying attention to the rules and then there’s no consequence for that. Then they have an advantage on you. That’s what I don’t want to see. I just think it needs to be fair and it needs to be reasonable, and I think they’ll find a way to do that.”