The Raiders, who typically hold training camp in California, will have to hold it in Nevada this year. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NFL tells teams training camps must be at club facilities amid pandemic

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jun 2, 2020 5:37 PM ET

The coronavirus pandemic robbed fans of a standard NFL Draft experience in late April after the league was forced to make the player-selection process a virtual experience.

On Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported fans won't be flocking to normal training-camp cities and towns, as clubs must hold those sessions at their facilities:

And so the NFL has told all its teams that they must stay at their team facilities for this summer's training camps.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 2, 2020

ESPN's David Newton and Todd Archer added tweets about the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys:

The Panthers will not hold training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, for the first time in team history dating back to 1995. A source told WSPA TV In Spartanburg the NFL soon will make an announcement that teams must remain at... https://t.co/KfiTRxt8vS
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) June 2, 2020

The Cowboys will not be heading to Oxnard, California, for training camp this summer with the league directing teams to remain at their own facilities because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to multiple sources. Last week coach Mike McCarthy said... https://t.co/QA5FBlYkef
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) June 2, 2020

Newton wrote that the NFL hopes to start camps in late July, but those and other dates on the league calendar remained penciled-in because of the unpredictable virus outbreak.

Currently, the Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers are scheduled to open the preseason with the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6.

The Kansas City Chiefs are set to begin their Super Bowl title defense by hosting the Houston Texans on Thursday, Sept. 10.

The NFL Players Association hasn't yet agreed to terms to participate in a pandemic-altered season.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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