Only 5 weeks into the NFL season, 12 players have tested positive for Covid-19. Many players from the Titans; Jordan Ta’amu, a quarterback for the Chiefs; A.J. Terrell, a cornerback for the Falcons; and Cam Newton of the New England Patriots have all tested positive for Covid-19. This led to 2 games being postponed and the Steelers and Titans game was even removed from the Week 4 schedule.

Last week, the NFL announced new guidelines that each team must follow. Troy Vincent, the Executive Vice President of Football Operations, and Roger Goodell, the Commissioner of the NFL, sent reminders to teams. These reminders, making sure that coaches and players are wearing their masks properly, correctly socially-distancing themselves, and implementing video monitoring system to make sure that teams wear protective equipment correctly at all times when in their respective facilities and while traveling. “If it is determined that club personnel or players have failed to follow the protocols, discipline will be issued and will escalate when noncompliance continues, including the adjustment or loss of draft choices or even the forfeit of a game,” Goodell wrote in the memo obtained by The Associated Press. The league will fine coaches and teams for not following the rules. This will fine the coaches $100,000 and the teams that they belong to $250,000 if they are seen not wearing masks properly.

The NFL even fined the Las Vegas Raiders $50,000 for allowing unauthorized personnel into the teams locker room and 10 members after they did not wear face coverings during a fundraiser held by the tight end, Darren Waller. Nin players were fined $15,000 and Darren Waller was fined $30,000 for their infractions. Fining players is never something the league wants to do, but when dealing with an international pandemic it is one way to help stop the spread for the sports we all love to watch.

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/05/us/nfl-covid-protocols-spt/index.html

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-nfl-tennessee-titans-new-england-patriots-football-5d5 029eb608a74b4c9b66ddf9ce42c11

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-covid-19-cases-2020-player-list/1571nnsr27yjn1 bv9ro3a0hs6e