Giants Making the Right Choices to Keep COVID-19 Outbreaks at Bay

The global COVID-19 pandemic has shown few signs of lessening its grip on the world. Rather than shutting down completely, businesses and people, in general, have mostly adapted "new normals" to help stay as safe as possible until a proven vaccine and medication can be found.

Count the NFL among the many businesses looking to operate as close to "normal" as possible. The 32 teams have developed IDER (Infectious Disease Emergency Response) plans to deal with positive COVID-19 tests and to ensure that as team employees and, eventually, game-day operations staff begin to intertwine with the players is kept as safe as possible.

Thus far, the results are encouraging. On August 5, the NFLPA's site reported that 107 players tested positive during the off-season; since training camps opened, only 56 players tested positive.

And although there seems to be not a day that goes by when it's announced that players are being added to the newly created Reserve/COVID-19 list, that doesn't mean the players tested positive for the virus.

Instead, it could mean that they came in contact with someone who did test positive, or, as was the case with Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, maybe even had a false positive test result.

As part of the safety protocols in place, the league gave players the option to opt-out of the season, of which 67 players, including Nate Solder, Da'Mari Scott, and Sam Beal of the Giants, did.

For the teammates who have chosen to proceed with the season, the overall feeling appears to be one of confidence in the safety protocols.

I'm supportive of all the players that did [opt out]," said receiver Sterling Shepard, who admitted that he discussed the possibility of opting out with his wife, with whom he shares two young daughters.

"Everyone's got to make the decision based on what's going on in their household and make the decision that's best for them. That's the way we approached it as a family, we sat down and talked about it and I made the decision that was best for my family not to [opt out]."

• RELATED: Joe Judge Explains Why He's Not Mandating His Assistant Coaches to Live in a Training Camp Bubble

Running back Saquon Barkley also has a young child and he's been taking every recommended precaution to protect himself, his loved ones, and others by going right home after a day at the office.

"Obviously you still try to live the life that you love to live but just do it in a smarter way because you're not just protecting yourself. You're protecting the people at home and then when you come here you protect everyone in this facility and everyone they got at home."

Barkley has taken note of the COVID-19 outbreaks that have plagued the 2020 Major League Baseball season, including a reported 18 from the Miami Marlins and 13 from the St. Louis Cardinals as testing positive for the virus.

MLB, which had to postpone 21 games over the first two weeks of the season, has since issued more stringent rules aimed at preventing future breakouts among teams. Controlling the virus begins with individuals being responsible.

"We got to focus on how we can take advantage of this and how we can stay committed to the procedures of wearing a mask," Barkley said.

"You try to focus on those little things in that little situation or in that little scenario where it could take a turn for the worst," Barkley said. "That's obviously in the back of your mind.

Barkley said the procedures the Giants have in place at MetLife Stadium, where the team is holding most of its training camp this summer, and on the Quest Diagnostics Training Center fields have made him feel safe. It is just up to the players to responsibly social distance. 

Head coach Joe Judge told reporters last week that there is a team hotel available for those who wish to take advantage of such accommodations. He added that he could not mandate the players to stay there due to CBA rules, nor has he mandated that his assistant coaches stay there.

"Our players either opted in or opted out of the hotel stay. We have expressed to the ones on the outside that they have to make the right decisions when they are on the outside in terms of how they structure their nights," Judge said.

"I’d say the biggest message I have for everybody, whether it’s the coaches, the support staff, the players, it’s not about being in a bubble. It’s about making the right decisions when you are away from the building to make sure we don’t bring something into the building."

Thus far the plans not only appear to be working, but the players, coaches and support staff have responded to the guidelines, which include avoiding eating out at restaurants (unless picking up food for takeout), attending events with a lot of people in close proximity, and wearing masks while outside of their habitat.

Thus far, the Giants have only had to place two players, wide receiver David Sills and linebacker Josiah Tauaefa, on the Reserve/COVID-19 List, the total among the fewest by any team in the NFL during camp.

Both Sills and Tauaefa have since been removed from the Reserve/COVID-19 list just days after initially being added.

With continued vigilance, the Giants and other NFL teams that take the recommendations seriously, are giving themselves and the league a legitimate chance at a full season.

"We have to all understand that our decisions impact each other," Judge said. "Everyone is working to the same goal. No one within this building is entitled to cut short our team’s pursuit of that goal by making a selfish decision away from this building."

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