This Week in COVID: NFL Outbreak
Well, this week in the NFL has been one of the wildest in history. There were two games postponed due to COVID cases among the teams.
First, there were cases of COVID-19 among NFL players and personell. This started on September 26, when Titans Outside Linebackers coach Shane Bowen tested positive for COVID. This was the day before the Week 3 matchup between the Titans and Vikings. There was also a COVID case from the Falcons as AJ Terrell tested positive. So far, no other players from these teams got a positive test so the Titans matchup this week and the Falcons matchup against the Bears were both cleared.
Then on Tuesday, eight more Titans players and personnel tested positive for COVID. The players were D-Lineman DaQuan Jones, Long Snapper Beau Brinkley, and a Practice Squad tight end. At that moment, all Titans facilities were closed due to this coming outbreak. The Vikings had to close their facilities down to prevent an outbreak on the team.
On Wednesday, Outside Linebacker Kamalei Correia tested positive for COVID. Vrabel was now preparing the team to play on Monday instead of Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. There were no positive tests for the Minnesota Vikings, so they reopened the team facilities with enhanced protocols. People who go into the facilities must go have a negative PCR and Point of Care test each.
On Thursday, two more Titans tested positive for COVID. One of them was cornerback Kristan Fulton. The other was an unnamed Titans personnel member. The NFL decided to not play the game on Sunday as planned.
On Friday, another two Titans players tested positive for COVID. The players were wide receiver Adam Humphries and Cam Batson. Also, the Titans and Steelers is officially rescheduled to Week 7 and both teams had moved their byes to Week 4. To accommodate this, the Steelers-Ravens game was moved from Week 7 to Week 8.
On Saturday, Patriots QB Cam Newton tested positive for COVID-19, which meant that he would not be playing on Sunday unless it was a False Positive. Then the Pats did more testing and there were no other team players and personnel who tested positive. Then, Chiefs Practice Squad QB Jordan Ta’amu tested positive. Prompting the NFL to not play the Pats-Chiefs game on Sunday, it was possible that the Pats and Chiefs could play on Monday or Tuesday. Additionally, Titans defensive end Jeffrey Simmons tested positive and two team personnel also tested positive.
On Sunday, the NFL announced that the Pats and Chiefs would be playing at 7:05 pm on Monday Night. This was depending on negative tests for both teams on Sunday and Monday. A Saints player tested positive for COVID, but was retested and came back negative, and all the players who were contacted by the patient all tested negative, so the Lions and Saints played as planned. Additionally, another Titans player and personnel each tested positive.
On Monday, the Pats-Chiefs game played, and the Pats lost 10-26, which included when starting QB Brian Hoyer was pulled from the game with 2nd year QB Jarrett Stidham. Stidham was picked off twice but did pass for a touchdown. The Packers and Falcons MNF game was moved from 8:20 to 9:00 pm on ESPN. No Titans members tested positive for COVID in nine days.
Then for the 2nd straight day on Tuesday, no Titans member tested positive. Although, Patriots Practice Squad Defensive Tackle and Raiders DT Maurice Hurst both tested positive for COVID.
On Wednesday, Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore tested positive for COVID with also two more Titans players tested positive for COVID. One of the players is Titans wide receiver Corey Davis. As of right now, both the Titans-Bills and Patriots-Broncos games are both in limbo.
If these teams were violating the COVID protocols, then the teams could be forced to forfeit their matchups. The NFL are investigating the Tennessee Titans to see if the team violated the COVID protocols.
There are 12 Titans players and 10 team personnel tested positive during this outbreak. Three Pats players tested positive, and two from all the other teams so far in this outbreak.
