Did you notice anything different last NFL Sunday? Where were the Eagles, Browns, Raiders, Redskins, Seahawks, and Rams? Where were those games? They got postponed due to a massive COVID outbreak. I’m sure you’ve all read the stories. The NFL had over 100 players test positive, including some franchises’ talent that caused teams to beg the league to postpone the games (via CNBC):
More than 100 NFL players reportedly have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week.
The Raiders-Browns game in Cleveland, originally scheduled for Saturday, will be played Monday afternoon. Two games that were set for Sunday — the Seahawks vs the Rams and the Washington Football Team against the Philadelphia Eagles — will be played Tuesday night.
“We have made these schedule changes based on medical advice and after discussion with the [National Football League Players Association] as we are seeing a new, highly transmissible form of the virus this week resulting in a substantial increase in cases across the league,” the NFL said in a statement.
“We continue to make decisions in consultation with medical experts to ensure the health and safety of the NFL community,” the league said.
For Eagles fans, there might have been a march on Commissioner Roger Goodell’s house for pushing the game back. The Eagles have a must-win game against the Redskins* that got delayed. Now, there appears to be the start of a COVID outbreak among the Eagles as the two NFC East teams are primed to face off later tonight. It seems as if Mr. Goodell finds new ways for people to hate him.
More Browns officially added to the Reserve/COVID-19 list:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2021
RB Kareem Hunt
S Grant Delpit
S Ronnie Harrison
QB Case Keenum
LB Jacob Phillips
LB Mack Wilson
LB Tony Fields II
CB A.J. Green
So, let’s say Washington gets a lot of players back by Tuesday, but by then the Eagles have a bunch of positive tests. Is playing then still gonna be more fair, or what? ???????
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) December 17, 2021
It appears the #NFL never really thought through what to do if players get vaccinated, still catch the virus, and test positive but are not all that sick.
— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) December 17, 2021
Eagles Washington game is moved to Tuesday night at 7PM at the Linc
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) December 17, 2021
Absolutely ridiculous Eagles are being punished for another team’s problems, especially considering the Eagles have been tremendous with their Covid protocols pic.twitter.com/M18M5wBLva
The #Raiders at #Browns game is being postponed to Monday, per league source.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 17, 2021
The NFL has had no serious Covid cases in two years. Nearly all of these new cases are asymptomatic. 90% of positives are vaccinated. Experts say the vaccine works. Again, once there was no longer a political advantage to say trust the science, they stopped trusting any science.
— NYG_PETE (@nyg_pete) December 18, 2021
The irony about this is that the NFL’s COVID vaccine policy was its big stick to get players vaccinated. Unlike last season, it was quite clear that if a team suffered a COVID outbreak that might prevent them from playing, there would be no postponements and no pay. It wasn’t a mandate, but there was a lot of incentive to not be "that guy" when it came to a viral outbreak on a team. It worked. The NFL is one of the most vaccinated workplaces in the country, with 90-plus percent of players receiving the shot. All NFL support staff have been vaccinated—and we still had an outbreak. The Omicron variant seems to be more contagious, less-lethal but able to evade the vaccine. The good news is that if you get it and you’re vaccinated—you’re probably not going to die. In fact, virtually no one has died from Omicron, unlike the previous Delta wave. The vaccines prevent severe illness and death but do a so-so job in curbing the spread. I think this is the reality we’re going to have the live with, as with any virus out there.
New Week 15 schedule pic.twitter.com/LqwBnrgHE3
— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) December 17, 2021
Still, if the Eagles lose tonight, I don’t want to be in Philly. They then must play the Giants on just four days' rest. There are going to be injuries.
Yet, back to the NFL’s policy, that big stick turned into rubber. Granted, it changed the protocols, but I doubt that will offer much comfort to those teams and fans who still have playoff hopes.
Updated protocols from the NFL and NFLPA: pic.twitter.com/pfyfE3iotd
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 18, 2021
The short version of the long NFL memo on updated protocols: Fully vaccinated, asymptomatic players and staff won’t have to test weekly anymore. It’s now “targeted testing,” meaning symptomatic individuals. Unvaccinated individuals must still test daily.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 18, 2021
*They’re the Redskins in my book—always will be. I will never call them the…Washington Football Team.
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