NFLPA didn’t try to keep 49ers from taking players to Arizona indefinitely

[Freddie Falcon]

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The simple truth about the lack of a home-market bubble for NFL teams is this: Collective bargaining.

The league doesn’t want to have to make a concession to the union to secure the ability to take all players away from their families and put them in hotels. The union doesn’t want to offer to send its players to hotels as an insurance policy against potentially lost game checks. As long as the league can and will still play all games (and through 12 weeks it has), the players get their money and they get to stay at home.

When it comes to the 49ers’ unexpected but still anticipated in-season move, the NFL Players Association could have pushed back against the team taking all players to Arizona and keeping them in a hotel indefinitely and possibly for the balance of the season, given the local order in Santa Clara that prevents the 49ers from playing home games there. The NFLPA ultimately didn’t put up a fight, per a source with knowledge of the situation.

The union didn’t fight because the league has limited rights to move operations in the event of an emergency. The union, in turn, has the right to ensure that the move is reasonable, and that it meets the standards of existing working conditions.

“Everyone is cooperating and working together in this environment to make sure we get to the finish line safely,” the source explained.

When it comes to the virus, the safety of players from a health standpoint becomes enhanced with the entire organization in a hotel. Indeed, multiple other coaches envy the circumstances that have given 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan the ability to put his team in a bubble, potentially for the rest of the season.

Other safety issues become relevant. As Shanahan has said, the players will be largely isolated when not working. Via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, Shanahan met with 20 players last night, asking them to keep an eye on teammates who may be struggling mentally during their experience in Arizona.

Another possible safety issue relates to potential overuse of the grass field at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals practice on the field during training camp, but not during the season. The 49ers won’t be practicing there, either. Instead, they’ll practice on grass fields outside the stadium.

That said, the use of State Farm Stadium by the 49ers for home games (if Santa Clara’s order continues through the end of the regular season) will put extra strain on the field, with games there on Sunday, December 6, Monday, December 7, Sunday, December 13, Sunday, December 20, Saturday, December 26, and Sunday, January 3. The grass field will experience six total games in a period starting this Sunday and ending four weeks later. Hopefully, that won’t create issues with the surface as the season continues to unfold.

In other words, hopefully the grounds crew at State Farm Stadium will be the Mandalorian to the small green organisms entrusted to their care.