Denver Broncos unveil new sanitizing misting booth amid coronavirus fears as the NFL imposes Thursday deadline for players to opt out of 2020 season
- The Denver Broncos unveiled a new sanitizing misting booth that sprays players with a non-toxic disinfectant used against viruses like E.Coli and coronavirus
- Coronavirus has already infected one Broncos player, star linebacker Von Miller, who tested positive for the virus back in April but has since recovered
- Players have until 4pm ET on Thursday to decide if they will opt out of the new season due to coronavirus fears, a league source confirmed to the Daily Mail
- Those players who are deemed to be at high risk for the virus can still earn $350,000 for the season if they opt out, while the rest can still make $150,000
- A handful of provisions will allow for players to opt out after the deadline in extreme circumstances, such as the death or illness of a close family member
While NFL teams are laboring to disinfect training facilities amid the pandemic, the Denver Broncos have taken the next logical step by actually sanitizing the players.
'Time for work,' read a tweet from the team account. 'But first, we sanitize.'
On Monday the Broncos unveiled a misting booth, which sprays sanitizer onto the Broncos players as they walk through on their way to practice.
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO
As seen on DenverBroncos.com, players walked through a misting booth on Monday to disinfect themselves on the way to practice. Von Miller (No. 58) previously tested positive for coronavirus but has since recovered
'The misting booth is an additional safety measure that sprays a safe, medical-grade disinfectant on players and their equipment when entering and exiting the practice field,' a team representative told TMZ.
The sanitizer being used is MicroSure, a nontoxic disinfectant used against viruses like E.Coli and coronavirus, a team spokesman told the Daily Mail.
Share this article
Coronavirus has already infected one Broncos player, star linebacker Von Miller, who tested positive for the virus back in April but has since recovered.
NFL players have until 4pm ET on Thursday to decide whether they will opt out of the new season, a league source confirmed to the Daily Mail. ESPN was the first to report the deadline.
Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley catches a pass at Monday's practice. NFL players have until 4pm ET on Thursday to decide whether they will opt out of the new season, a league source confirmed
The NFL's 2020 campaign kicks off on September 10, with enhanced measures in place to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, but numerous players have already chosen to opt out citing safety concerns, such as Broncos right tackle Ja'Wuan James.
Those players who are deemed to be at high risk for the virus can still earn $350,000 for the season, while the rest can still make $150,000. All players will accrue a year of service time, which will go towards their pensions.
A handful of provisions will allow for players to opt out after the deadline in extreme circumstances, such as the death or illness of a close family member.
Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the only active NFL player who is also a medical doctor, was the first to opt out on July 24, citing concern over the viral epidemic. More than 30 players have followed suit.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson tested positive for COVID-19, the team said on Sunday, while Detroit Lions put five players on their 'reserve/COVID-19' list last week.
More than 155,000 people have died nationwide from COVID-19 since the virus was first identified in the United States in January. Cases nationally fell for a second week in a row but rose week-over-week in 20 states.
Deaths in the US rose for a fourth week in a row to more than 8,500 people in the seven days ended August 2, a Reuters analysis found.
Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the only active NFL player who is also a medical doctor, was the first to opt out on July 24, citing concern over the viral epidemic
