NFL Officially Suspends All COVID-19 Protocols

The NFL and NFL Players Association have reached an agreement to suspended all COVID-19 protocols effective immediately on Thursday (March 3), sources with knowledge confirmed to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero prior to the league's memo being released.

"The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to suspend all aspects of the joint COVID-19 Protocols, effective immediately, per sources," Pelissero tweeted. "After nearly two years of restrictions — and not a single game lost to the pandemic — it’s back to normal. Finally."

Pelissero shared the league's memo that was sent to all 32 teams shortly after the report, which confirms "masks, tracking devices, mandatory surveillance testing or capacity limits" will no longer be enforced "unless required by state and local law."

The NFL and NFLPA had previously agreed to modify the league's COVID-19 protocols in December, which limited the mandatory isolation period after a positive test for asymptomatic individuals from 10 days to five, regardless of vaccination status, with the individual then having to meet other qualifications five days after the initial positive test.

The initial changes were made in accordance with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's changing guidelines regarding isolation periods at the time.

The changes were discussed by the league and players' union prior to being officially announced, Pelissero reported at the time.