Holiday protocols in place
League announces new COVID rules for Thanksgiving
The NFL is requiring players and staff to wear masks inside team facilities regardless of vaccination status for a week starting on Thanksgiving, and they must be tested twice for COVID -19 after the holiday.
The league’s protocols were updated as a result of increasing rates of COVID -19 across the country. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger each missed a game in consecutive weeks because of COVID -19.
There were 34 new confirmed positive tests among players and 47 new confirmed positives among club personnel in the latest testing period from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13. Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’S chief medical officer, said in a conference call Wednesday the league had its highest number of cases last week.
“This upward trend, coupled with the onset of colder weather driving individuals indoors, has resulted in an increased risk of infection among players and staff,” the league said in a memo sent to teams Tuesday and obtained by The Associated Press. “Our experts and data confirm that getting
vaccinated remains our strongest defense against contracting and transmission of the virus within club facilities.”
As of Wednesday, 94.3 percent of NFL players and nearly 100 percent of
NFL personnel are vaccinated. Overall, 30 of the league’s 32 teams have an overall vaccination rate of 95 percent or higher.
Jets: Joe Flacco will start at quarterback for New York on Sunday at home against the Miami Dolphins, a surprising decision by the 2-7 team that will be without injured starter Zach Wilson for the fourth straight game. Wilson, the No. 2 overall draft pick, sprained the posterior collateral ligament in his right knee against New England on Oct. 24 and is still not 100 percent. Mike White started the past three games in Wilson’s place, but the Jets decided to go with the 36-yearold Flacco this week against the Dolphins’ aggressive defense.
Browns: Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield did not practice Wednesday in hopes of letting several injuries heal so he can play this week against the winless Detroit Lions.
Lions: Detroit held out Jared Goff from Wednesday’s practice after the starting quarterback suffered an oblique injury in last week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Seahawks: The status of Seattle running back Chris Carson remains uncertain, with coach Pete Carroll saying the bruising back has not made the “positive progress” the team was hoping.
Notes: A Las Vegas judge ordered former Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III to appear before her on Monday after learning he missed a required alcohol test while on house arrest following a fatal crash he’s accused of causing by driving drunk at speeds up to 156 mph. Ruggs’ lawyers told Justice of the Peace Suzan Baucum that Ruggs “self-tested” negative shortly after missing one of his calls for a breath test last weekend. Ruggs’ attorney, David Chesnoff, blamed the delay on trouble with testing equipment. ... NFL Hall of Fame defensive lineman Curley Culp announced he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Culp played 14 NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Oilers and Detroit Lions. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and five-time Allpro, including first team in 1975.