NFL set to drop all COVID restrictions for 2022 season: reports

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The NFL plans to drop all of its COVID-19 restrictions going to the 2022 season, according to multiple reports.

The NFL and the NFLPA’s agreement is effective immediately, the NFL Network reported, citing a memo from the league office. It means there will be no more requirements for masks, COVID-tracking devices, surveillance testing or capacity limits unless mandated by the state the teams are in.

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The NFL logo on the field before the game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 3, 2021, in Inglewood, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

"Based on current encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity of COVID-19, the evolving guidance from the CDC, changes to state law and the counsel of our respective experts, the NFL and NFLPA have agreed to suspend all aspects of the joint COVID-19 Protocols," the memo says. 

"We will continue to prioritize the health and safety of players, coaches and staff, as we have throughout the pandemic."

Detail view of the NFL shield logo in neon lights during the first round of the NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

NFL'S 2ND SEASON OF COVID JUST AS TRYING AS 1ST, MAYBE MORE

The NFL was the first of the major sports leagues in North America to complete a full season in 2020 when most of the country had to put their seasons on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In this Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020, file photo, Carolina Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater throws a pass during NFL football training camp in Charlotte, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond, File)

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At the height of the pandemic, the league had to switch some games to Tuesdays and at one point an entire quarterback room was wiped out due to the league’s COVID violations. The emergence of the omicron variant in late 2021 also forced the NFL to tighten its rules again for the last few weeks of the year.