KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs fans will have to get tickets in advance to visit the Super Bowl runner-up's training camp this year, and they won't be able to get autographs from players because of COVID-19.
Dr. Paul Schroeppel, the AFC champions' head orthopedic surgeon, said Monday that fans won't be allowed to interact with players under the NFL's protocols for preventing coronavirus outbreaks. He discussed the rules during a daily webcast by the University of Kansas Health System.
The Chiefs open their training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, on July 28 with a special event for season ticket holders, with practices open to other fans July 29, with attendance limited.
Missouri has seen a surge in new COVID-19 cases because of the faster-spreading delta variant.
“The league has very strict protocols,” Schroeppel said. “I think they've done everything they can to control transmission in those situations. Of course, when you get a crowd together, it's going to be very difficult, particularly for those unvaccinated.”
He said the Chiefs are “doing quite well” among NFL teams with players voluntarily getting vaccinated.
Schroeppel said the team plans to allow full attendance at Arrowhead Stadium during the season, but that could change based on COVID-19 case numbers.