The NFL has postponed this week’s match between New England and Super Bowl champions Kansas City Mayors after “positive COVID-19 tests on both teams”. Quarterback starting Patriots Cam Newton and Chiefs training team quarterback Jordan Tamu were both added to the NFL’s Covid 19 reserve list released Saturday afternoon.
Originally scheduled for EDT at 4:25 pm on Sunday, the NFL said on Saturday that the game would be played on Monday or Tuesday, which is only possible if the disease is not spread on the rosters.
Newton started all three games for New England. Tamu did not appear in a game, but would have spent time in meetings with Super Bowl MVP Pat Mahoms and the team’s other QBs.
Newton’s agent did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press.
This is the second game affected by COVID-19 this weekend. After the Titans erupted, the match between Pittsburgh and Tennessee was postponed – first for a day or two, and then until October 25 when the positive tests piled up.
To match that, the Steelers’ game against Baltimore was postponed to November 1.
The Patriots were scheduled to fly to Kansas City on Saturday afternoon. Instead, players left the facility to wait for additional instructions. The team said in a statement that the Govt-positive player had entered into self-isolation and that players, coaches and staff who were in close contact with him had been tested on Saturday morning and all were negative.
With Newton no longer available when he isolates, Brian Hoyer is expected to start in his place. He was Newton’s backup for the Patriots’ previous three games.
To determine how long Newton has been sidelined.
According to NFL guidelines, players who test positive and show symptoms must pass at least 10 days when symptoms first appear and between 72 hours after symptoms last appear. In that situation a player will lose at least two games.
But if a player tests positive and is asymptomatic, he can return 10 days after the initial positive test or five days after two consecutive negative tests.
Earlier this week, the Patriots defender Devin McCurdy said he could have grown more confident after making it through the league training camps and the first two weeks of the season without a big explosion.
“But at the end of the day, we’re in an epidemic,” he said. “So what happened in Tennessee, even if it shocked us, it’s not really surprising. I think we all know that at some point we might get some positive tests.
“So it’s, ‘we got it,’ ‘he said.” I think it’s a little shocking, but it’s a wake-up call,’ Hey, the virus is still here, it’s affecting everyone. It doesn’t matter if we’re trying to play football. “
If Tuesday night’s game is held, it puts the chiefs in considerable bond. They are scheduled to play at the Las Vegas Riders next Sunday, and then have a Thursday night match at Buffalo four days later. That means the current Super Bowl champions could face the chance to play in three games in just nine days.
The NFL can reconsider the Pills-Chiefs game, which gives Kansas City a bit of a boost.
“I feel as honest as we can because an organization has done a great job. It’s responsible for each other,” said Patrick Mahomes, the team’s quarterback. “This is something that can happen to anyone. , But this is the year 2020 in the world. ”
Prior to the start of training camp, Mahomes praised Chief Coach Rick Burkolder, who played a key role in helping the NFL develop its testing and protocol, creating an environment where players, coaches and staff can feel safe.
“Rick and his staff and the whole organization have done a great job of keeping us socially distant and wearing masks – making sure people wear masks and hold each other accountable even when people try to slip in and not wear them,” Mahomes said. You agree. I’m going to make sure we insist on it. Make sure we wear our masks regularly, stay socially away and prepare ourselves so that we do not harm anyone else or ourselves. ”
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