Don’t be surprised if you fail to see any Pittsburgh Steelers’ coaches at the upcoming Pro Days. According to Yahoo’s Charles Robinson, the team has pulled their scouts off the Pro Day trail due to concerns over the coronavirus. And they aren’t the only team.
From Robinson.
“The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers have pulled their coaches off the road for the pro-day circuit, at least temporarily, as a precautionary measure as the country grapples with the spread of the coronavirus, multiple sources told Yahoo Sports.”
The Steelers’ told Robinson, “We’ve adjusted our travel plans temporarily as it pertains to pro days.”
According to the article, the team still plans to send scouts to workouts. Coaches are being pulled off because of their close proximity to others in the team facility, increasing the odds of exposure.
“Scouts for those two teams still expect to attend pro-day workouts as planned. Many NFL scouts do not work on a daily basis at teams’ facilities and are based regionally, thus minimizing the risk of potentially spreading the virus at those workplaces.”
Medical experts have warned against large gatherings and close contact with others as ways to prevent the spread of the disease.
Pittsburgh appeared to have one unknown personnel member at Northwestern’s workout yesterday but didn’t appear to attend Oklahoma State or Wyoming’s Pro Days. The Steelers began the Pro Day circuit operating normally, attending Miami (OH) on the 2nd, Kansas State and Kansas on the 4th and 5th, Auburn on the 6th, and Illinois on the 9th. You can follow our updated pro day tracker here.
It’s unclear if this change of plans will effect the entire coaching staff, including Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin. Clemson’s Pro Day is tomorrow, a location one of them is almost always at, so we may get our answer soon.
As Matthew Marczi wrote earlier Wednesday, the NFL currently has no plans to cancel or postpone the draft. But as the virus spreads, there’s been an increase in event cancellation and it’s possible the league will have to reconsider as the draft nears.
UPDATE (3:30 PM)
Other reports are disputing Robinson’s accounting, saying the team hasn’t pulled coaches and scouts off the Pro Day trail but are asking their personnel for ways to limit exposure. That includes following CDC guidelines and limiting air travel.
