League tightens virus protocols
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. Quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger each missed a game in consecutive weeks because of COVID-19. The Chargers added defensive end Christian Covington to the COVID-19 reserve list Wednesday, a day after Joey Bosa and tackle Jerry Tillery went on the virus list.
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.
As of Wednesday, 94.3 percent of NFL players and nearly 100 percent of NFL personnel are vaccinated.
Additional masking will not be required outdoors or in the practice bubble when the mandatory mask policy is in place next week.
Testing will take place on Monday Nov. 29 and Wednesday Dec. 1.
Also, the league is encouraging teams to offer drive-through COVID-19 testing for friends and family of players and staff if they’re visiting or staying with them for Thanksgiving.
Flacco gets start against Dolphins
Joe Flacco will start quarterback for the York Jets on Sunday at home against the Dolphins.
Coach Robert Saleh made the surprising announcement Wednesday as the team decided to go with the 36-year-old veteran over Mike White, who started the last three games in place of the injured Zach Wilson.
White will serve as backup to Flacco on Sunday.
Ruggs ordered back to court
A Las Vegas judge ordered former Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III to appear on Monday after learning he missed a required alcohol test while on house arrest after 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 “selftested” negative shortly after missing a call for a breath test last weekend.
Ruggs, 22, was not in court Wednesday for the brief hearing during which Baucum also told his lawyers she won’t issue a subpoena for fire department records about the fatal Nov. 2 crash and fire.
A judge warned Ruggs that if he didn’t comply with release restrictions, he faced rearrest.