San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan recently announced that his team was unaware of the new coronavirus regulations that San Clara officials implemented, which forced the members to look for a temporary practice area and quarters.
On Saturday, the county announced the new provisions that banned practices and games for three weeks starting Monday for any sports that involved physical contact. On Sunday, the 49ers bested the Rams with a final tally of 23-20 and were preparing to fly to Los Angeles before hearing about the news.
Shanahan said, “We’ve been working with them as a partner, just trying to figure it out.” He expressed his disappointment that no one had told them about the regulations beforehand. A spokeswoman for Santa Clara County did not immediately respond to requests for a comment.
The additional provisions also required people who have traveled more than 150 miles away from the county to self-quarantine for at least 14 days. The 49ers had prepared for their return trip home on Sunday, hours before officials announced the new regulations.
The San Francisco 49ers are scheduled for two home games across the three-week event, one against Buffalo on December 7, and the second one against Washington on December 13. While the team has alternatives in the Bay Area outside Santa Clara, many people expect the team to play at an existing NFL stadium.
Shanahan said he and his team spent the last 18 hours trying to figure out what they would do next. The sudden announcement caught them off guard as they questioned whether they would be quarantined when they get back or if they would be gone for the whole of December.
The 49ers would begin practicing for their games starting Thursday and have only a few days to decide on what they would do. The team has their first home game one week from Monday. The team’s quarterback, Nick Mullens, said, “We’ll see what the future holds.” Mullen noted that the families of the team members were more affected, adding they would adjust to the situation.
The new rules also affect two other teams, the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, several colleges inside the Standford and San Jose state. On December 12, the Cardinal will face off against Oregon State but would have to locate another practice area outside the county this week.
On December 5, the Spartans would take on Hawaii and would be against Nevada on December 11. Before the season started, San Jose State found a practice area outside the region due to the restrictions within Santa Clara County, NBC Bay Area reported.
San Jose State athletic director, Marie Tuite, said, “We are in a fluid situation with our football and basketball teams since their seasons are in progress.” She added that they would adapt to the regulations that officials announce.
Standford’s second-ranked basketball team for women had their home game on Monday against San Diego canceled. The team is currently trying to find a new area to practice before being given a new date for their match.
The Sharks have said that if needed, they would try to find a suitable place to practice despite the NHL not yet announcing their training camp’s start date. Several players of the team have conducted their own informal workouts in small groups inside the team facility.
