Redskins Players Working out at Facility Amid COVID-19 Were 'Allowed Exception'

A Washington Redskins spokesperson said the players who were working out at the team's facility Wednesday were given an exception to do so amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"All players at the facility today were rehabbing injuries and fall under allowed exception to be in the building," the spokesperson told TMZ Sports. "We were not conducting organized workouts as part of our program."

Pictures showed running back Derrius Guice along with others players and team employees at the Bon Secours Training Center, per TMZ. A team source told the outlet it understands the bad optics of the situation, but noted players maintained social distancing and were alerted if they got too close to each other.

The NFL announced March 24 it ordered all team facilities be closed because of COVID-19. It did mention exceptions for "employees providing ongoing medical treatment to players, as well as employees necessary to maintaining the security and operational capabilities of the facilities."

Commissioner Roger Goodell said it wouldn't reopen the facilities until "it is safe to do so" as part of the announcement the 2020 NFL draft had been moved to a virtual format.

"Our staff will carry out its responsibilities in the same way, operating in several locations outside of our offices," he said. "We cannot identify an alternative that is preferable from a medical or public health perspective, given the various needs of clubs, the need properly to screen participants, and the unique risk factors that individual club employees may face."

The league later announced teams' offseason programs are also going to happen virtually.

Despite the lack of in-person interactions, Goodell said Wednesday on ESPN's Get Up "we will be ready to play" if the situation allows when the 2020 season is scheduled to begin in September:

Training camps, which usually open in mid-July, represent the next key decision for the NFL.