NFL Has Only One Player on Coronavirus List

AP Photo_Nell Redmond
AP Photo/Nell Redmond
Warner Todd Huston

Despite worries by doomsayers who say football puts players at risk, the NFL had only one player test positive for the coronavirus in their latest testing period.

According to the Hill reporter Joe Concha: “One NFL player has a positive COVID-19 result during the latest testing period. ‘According to data released Tuesday, the league tested 2,641 players and 5,708 other personnel between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5.’ So that’s one out of more than 8,300. Incredible.”

“According to data released Tuesday, the league tested 2,641 players and 5,708 other personnel between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5. In addition to the one player, seven other staff members also produced a positive result. Since the true start of training camp Aug. 12, a total of 24 people have produced confirmed positive tests,” ESPN added.

The NFL and the players union agreed to virus tests every day except on game day, the sports cable network added.

These results seem to run contrary to those who have maintained that the 2020 football season should be canceled because they felt the league could not keep the players from contracting and passing on the virus to each other.

The testing regime is long and involved. Once a player tests positive, he is isolated in quarantine until he tests negative. That means at least ten days in isolation without intermingling with his team and coaches. And to be cleared, he has to test negative on two consecutive tests that are administered at least a day apart.

The league will also initiate contact tracing with anyone testing positive to see how far that chain of positive tests can go and keep others who may also be interacting with members of the league safe from the virus.

The only major policy that the league is not mandating to be uniform is a policy on fans in the stands. The NFL ruled that it will be up to the teams and local laws to determine the number fans it allows into stadiums, if any. To date, only six teams are preparing to welcome fans back to the stands (Browns, Cowboys, Colts, Jaguars, Chiefs, and Dolphins).

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