Normally this time of the year in Houston fans are preparing to watch the Texans play their first preseason game all the while calling in to their favorite local sports shows and debating on social media about which third-string player has a chance to make an impact and the roster.

But times have changed dramatically with this global pandemic we are currently in caused by COVID-19. With the rate of individuals contracting the virus rising on a daily basis, the sports world has been turned upside down. Including the Texans who are trying to do whatever they can following the protocols set by the NFL.

Coach O’Brien usually arrives at NRG Stadium no later than 5:15 a.m. every day to have the COVID-19 testing procedures administered on himself. This is after waking up early to fill out the questionnaire concerning his health and whereabouts for the last 48 hours that is required for entrance into the building. He knows the challenges that the team are faced with but is trying to make it as normal as possible.

"The first couple of weeks here will be a lot of strength and conditioning and walkthroughs," said head coach Bill O’Brien. "Then we'll progress into kind of like an OTA-type mode. I would say the first day in full pads would be August 14th, and that's what we will start what we always call 'real' football. Up until that point, it is definitely a ramp up schedule that we're trying to take advantage of.”

The Texans are holding all activities inside their indoor training facility and some parts of NRG stadium that has been rearraigned in order for social distancing protocols to be followed.

“The McNairs have invested a lot of money in the improvements and what it was going to take to get this building ready,” O’Brien said. “I think the players are impressed with that. I think we have a good schedule. We’ve broken the team up into five different teams, so guys are staggered coming into the building, the weightlifting is staggered, the training rooms – we have three different training rooms. Eventually we’ll all end up on the field at the same time, but the schedule has been a monumental task, but I feel like we are off to a good start with scheduling.”

Houston’s veterans have done an amazing job preparing for the changes coming into the preseason. Although this situation is very different from anything, they have had to endure during their entire football careers, the majority of them took the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their fellow teammates coming into camp.

“For us, to be able to come in and take the precautions and do the right things is very important,” said Deshaun Watson who is starting his fourth year with the team. “I know that this organization from when I came in have changed everything and put in the right safety precautions – the sanitizing to the locker room to the way we manage things. The first couple days of camp have been great and what we’ve seen has been a big change. We’re going in the right direction, especially for this organization.”

The Texans open the season on September 10th against the reigning Super Bowl Champions Kansas City Chiefs.