As the NFL sets its sights on training camp, the league has tasked each team with developing an Infectious Disease Emergency Response (IDER) plan that sets forth the team's protocols for dealing with the coronavirus.
In an internal memo obtained by ESPN, the league mandates that each team divide their organizations into tiers and limit access to all facilities and team areas — sidelines, practice fields, training rooms — based on those tiers.
Employees will then need to a tiered photograph credential to gain access to those facilities and areas.
ESPN reports that teams have spent the last few weeks trying to decide who will be included in each tier, but there is uncertainty as to what the deadline is for the process to be completed. The NFL will then need to sign off on each team’s tiers.
The tiers break down as follows, according to ESPN’s reporting:
• Tier 1 will consist of players, coaches, trainers, physicians and necessary personnel who must have direct access to the players.
• Tier 2 will consist of general managers, football operations employees, other assistant coaches, video personnel, security and other essential personnel who may need to be in close proximity to the players and other Tier 1 individuals who may need to access restricted areas. Only individuals assigned to Tiers 1 and 2 will be permitted access to restricted areas, and there will be limits on the number of individuals from each team that can be assigned Tier 1 and Tier 2 access at any given time.
• Tier 3 will consist of certain operational personnel, in-house media and broadcast personnel, field manager, transportation providers and individuals who perform essential facility, stadium or event services but do not require close contact with Tier 1 individuals. Team and other personnel who work exclusively in areas of team facilities that are or will be completely cordoned off from the rest of the facility do not need to be credentialed in one of the three access tiers.
