With unprecedented wildfires raging across Canada, air quality has reached harmful levels in much of the Eastern United States. And that could negatively impact NFL players as they practice outdoors during offseason work.
Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said that the team decided that it was safe to practice outside today, but tomorrow’s session may move inside.
“We looked at the air quality index. . . . We reached out to our doctors, our medical personnel and asked about what our options are about practicing today, tomorrow and probably next week we’ll have to continue to monitor it,” Rivera said. “We’re going to talk to the players before we go out there and tell anybody that has respiratory concerns, obviously we would excuse. Or if they start feeling any issue during workouts we would send them inside. Then we would have to consider tomorrow potentially going inside the bubble to practice. If we can avoid it we will, but if not, if the air quality becomes a little too concerning, then we most certainly will go in.”
Canada currently has more than 400 active fires, which have spewed hazardous particles for thousands of miles across North America. Experts say people with respiratory concerns should stay indoors, limit exposure to smoke and wear masks.