NFL Threatens to Take Draft Picks from Teams if Coaches Don’t Wear Masks

The NFL has issued another, and perhaps, final, warning to its coaches and sideline personnel when it comes to not observing rules on wearing masks.

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday morning:

NFL sent another strongly-worded memo to team executives, GMs and HCs today, urging all to be in compliance with game-day protocols (wearing masks). “We will address lack of compliance with accountability measures that may include…suspensions and/or forfeiture of draft picks.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 30, 2020

Schefter writes:

The strongly worded memo, sent to coaches, general managers and team executives by NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent, includes a passage in which the NFL says it will ‘address lack of compliance with accountability measures that may include … suspensions and/or forfeiture of draft picks.’

It marks the second time this month that the NFL has warned coaches to comply with coronavirus-related protocols by wearing a mask on the sideline.

The league has already fined four head coaches this season — Las Vegas‘ Jon Gruden, New Orleans‘ Sean Payton, Denver‘s Vic Fangio and the Rams‘ Sean McVay — for not wearing masks on the sideline during games.

The coronavirus is already impacting the league in several ways. On Wednesday it was learned that this weekend’s game between the Titans and the Steelers was postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak among Titans players and staff.