Harbaugh rips NFL's player return protocol

Steelers fans don't often agree with anything the Ravens do or say, no matter what. But when John Harbaugh blasted the NFL's policy for players eventually returning to team facilities, it might be a common sense outlook everyone can get behind.

What exactly does Harbaugh have an issue with? Primarily the league's approach on social distancing in locker rooms and in other areas.

"I've seen all the memos on that, and to be quite honest with you, it's impossible what they're asking us to do. Humanly impossible," Harbaugh said in an interview with 105.7 The Fan. "So, we're going to do everything we can do. We're going to space, we're going to have masks. But, you know, it's a communication sport. We have to be able to communicate with each other in person. We have to practice."

Not only is football, and the NFL, a communication sport, it is the sport with the largest rosters outside of college football. Every team is carrying 90 players on their offseason roster, and to suggest every organization will have the means to be able to distance those 90 players, plus staff, will be a challenge.

"I think good people, smart people are involved in this," Harbaugh said. "But the way I'm reading these memos right now, you throw your hands up and you go, 'What the heck? There's no way this can be right.'"

To be fair, the NFL/NFLPA have yet to agree on specific terms upon the players returning to faciliiesy. But that doesn't mean teams haven't started to put measures in place to prepare for the inevitable. For instance, the Steelers moving training camp to Heinz Field is largely due to the locker room space compared to the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. But not everything will be as easy to accommodate as moving practices to another facility.

"I'm pretty sure the huddle is not going to be 6-feet spaced," Harbaugh said. "Are guys going to shower one at a time all day? Are guys going to lift weights one at a time all day? These are things the league and the [players' association] needs to get a handle on and needs to get agreed with some common sense so we can operate in a 13-hour day in training camp that they're giving us and get our work done. That's the one thing, you can tell by my voice, I'm a little frustrated with what I'm hearing there. And I think they need to get that pinned down a little better."

Harbaugh's criticism is likely echoed throughout the entire NFL, he was just the one brazen enough to say it publicly. After all, regardless of precautions taken, Harbaugh, and every other head coach, will be judged on winning football games this fall. Uniformity with all 32 teams will be key.

"As a coach, you don't want to hear that you're limiting your operations as far as preparing your team and then you hear 10 other teams aren't paying attention to the rules and then there's no consequence for that," he said. "Then they have an advantage on you. That's what I don't want to see. I just think it needs to be fair and it needs to be reasonable, and I think they'll find a way to do that."

There has been little talk regarding specifics as it pertains to players to facilities. The initial report of social distancing is as close as fans have seen of any details, but player reps across the league were outspoken about these details not being agreed upon by the NFLPA. There will be no in-person camps in the month of June, but July is when things ramp up as training camps will be on the horizon.

The NFL has some serious work to do.

In the meantime, any updates on the situation will be covered in detail right here at DKPittsburghSports.com.