ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — While the NFL is permitting teams to bring employees back to their facilities on Tuesday, the majority of Broncos staffers will continue to work from home, a source told 9NEWS.
The Broncos set up a COVID-19 task force a couple weeks ago that is led by Brittany Bowlen, who is the team’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives.
The task force compiled a comprehensive plan on how to safely reopen their team headquarters and stadium for workers. The plan is to be submitted to the NFL by Monday. Some employees are expected to return the facility next week, although not necessarily on Tuesday.
The NFL sent a memo to its 32 teams Friday stating clubs may reopen their facilities to workers on Tuesday providing state and local governments allow. Colorado’s safer-at-home guidelines does permit Broncos workers to return.
However, the NFL is not allowing coaches or players not rehabilitating from injuries to re-enter team facilities. Multiple teams like those in California and New York continue to have strict stay-at-home orders as a precaution against the coronavirus pandemic. Teams like the Rams, Chargers, Bills, Giants and Jets cannot return to their team headquarters so for competitive reasons, the league is not allowing coaches from other teams to work at their team offices.
Per the NFL memo, the only members of Vic Fangio’s coaching staff who would be allowed at Broncos headquarters next week would be strength and conditioning coordinator Loren Landow and his assistants, who will continue to rehab players coming off injuries as they have throughout the pandemic period.
Although the NFL is allowing football administrators and personnel to return to team headquarters, the Broncos are taking extra precautions. General manager John Elway, his top assistant Matt Russell and the majority of other Broncos’ employees are expected to continue to work remotely from home.
The team’s COVID-19 task force is working with its human resources department and managers of each department on who from the limited number of employees will return to the facilities next week.
This is Phase I in the reopening process with more to be announced later as more information on coronavirus becomes known.
The only known Broncos employee to contract COVID-19 is star pass rusher Von Miller. After two weeks of home quarantine, Miller tested negative for the virus on April 30.
Broncos coaches and players have been participating in virtual team meetings the past three weeks and will continue to do so for the next few weeks. The team is hoping to completely open its facility for coaches, players and football personnel by the time training camp is scheduled to begin either July 28 or 29 – pending clearance from the league and state of Colorado.
The Broncos’ first preseason game is August 15 against the San Francisco 49ers at Empower Field at Mile High.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Sports
