NFL players could wear modified face masks during the upcoming season to help protect against the coronavirus pandemic.
NFL Players Association medical director Thom Mayer, speaking Monday on ESPN’s “The Adam Schefter Podcast,” said there will likely be a recommendation for players to use the face coverings to protect from the coronavirus once the season starts.
League engineers are working with sports equipment company Oakley to test prototypes, Mayer said.
“They’re looking at every issue, including when masks fog up,” he said.
Mayer also said players with elevated risks for the virus must be especially cautious about such practices as donning and removing helmets, social distancing and keeping a personal hydration bottle.
“Just every little detail,” he said. “Anybody who has got a risk, I would advise them to be zealous, religious and, frankly, almost maniacally committed to minimizing the chance of spreading the virus.”