PARADISE, Nev. – The 2020 NFL Draft will go on as scheduled from April 23 to April 25 despite concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, according to a memo sent to teams Thursday night.
In the memo, obtained by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, commissioner Roger Goodell said the draft will, however, need to be conducted in a different way due to public health concerns.
Commissioner Goodell sent out a memo to NFL teams tonight that the draft will go on April 23-25. pic.twitter.com/tYlHo3fKqC
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 26, 2020
Goodell wrote that the league has canceled all of the draft’s public events, they will not be bringing prospects and families to the draft in Paradise, Nevada, and the draft itself will be televised in a way that reflects current conditions.
Goodell urged clubs to plan to conduct draft operations in a location outside of their facilities, with a limited number of people present, and with sufficient technology resources to allow communication internally, with other clubs and with draft headquarters.
Goodell’s announcement comes after he instructed the NFL’s 32 teams to close their facilities to all but a select few employees by 6 p.m. Wednesday. The few exceptions include trainers and doctors treating players, security and technology personnel.
He said the restrictions were meant to protect against the virus and they’ll be in force until at least April 8. Then the league will re-evaluate.