Six coaches, star receiver for Saints test positive

Six unidentified members of the New Orleans Saints coaching staff, a player and a nutritionist have tested positive for COVID-19, two people familiar with the situation said.

The people spoke with the Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the team and NFL had not made a public statement about the matter. The people said the entire Saints coaching staff had been vaccinated.

Later Tuesday, star wide receiver Michael Thomas — who already was ineligible to play the first six games while on the club’s physically unable to perform list — was placed on New Orleans’ COVID-19 reserve list.

The names of most others who tested positive were not expected to be released in the short term because of federal medical privacy laws. It is unclear how long those who tested positive will remain isolated from the team before they may return to the field or inperson meetings.

49ers’ Mostert out for season

San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert will undergo season-ending surgery on his knee after being injured in the opener.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan had said Mostert was expected to miss eight weeks because of chipped cartilage in his knee, but Mostert announced on his Twitter account that he will miss the rest of the season.

Odds and ends

The Tennessee Titans signed Randy Bullock, a fifth-round pick of the Texans in 2012 out of Texas A&M, off the practice squad to be their new kicker. … The Carolina Panthers released kicker Ryan Santoso and signed Zane Gonzalez off Detroit’s practice squad to replace him. … The Denver Broncos placed WR Jerry Jeudy (high right ankle sprain) on injured reserve along with free agent CB acquisition Ronald Darby (hamstring) . ... The Buffalo Bills have joined the Las Vegas Raiders as the only NFL teams to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all fans over the age of 12.