Vikes’ Dozier in hospital with COVID
A vaccinated Vikings player went to the emergency room Tuesday evening with breathing troubles from a COVID-19 infection and remained hospitalized in stable condition Wednesday, coach Mike Zimmer announced.
The Vikings coach didn’t identify the player, but reports said it was guard Dakota Dozier, who’s among five Vikings players placed on the COVID-19 list within the last week.
“He’s stable now,” Zimmer said. “But it was scary.”
“I’m not a doctor, but it was COVID pneumonia or something. He had a hard time breathing.”
The Vikings’ isolated players include at least two who are vaccinated, Dozier and center Garrett Bradbury.
The Vikings have retested 29 people — including Zimmer — as close contacts this week after placing two more players on the COVID-19 list on Monday.
Safety Harrison Smith, linebacker Ryan Connelly and tackle Timon Parris also remain quarantined on the COVID-19 list. Smith, like Bradbury and Dozier, tested positive.
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray didn’t practice again but said he hopes his sprained left ankle will be healthy enough for him to play Sunday against the Panthers. “I think it’s day by day,” Murray said Wednesday. “I think we’ve got a great plan. I feel way better than I did when I talked to you last time, so, I think that’s a plus and I’m excited.” Murray missed last weekend’s 31-17 win over the 49ers, the first time he has missed a game in his career . ... Jets coach Robert Saleh announced that QB Mike White will start against the Bills on Sunday, with rookie Zach Wilson still recovering from a sprained knee ligament. Wilson, cleared to return to practice this week, was limited while running the scout team. It will be the third straight start for White, who left last Thursday night’s 45-30 loss to the Colts with a bruised nerve in his right hand but is fully healthy now.
NHL: Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon will be out three weeks after suffering a lower-body injury Saturday against the Blue Jackets. MacKinnon, who missed the first two games of the season while sitting out in the COVID-19 protocol, is tied for the team lead in points with 10 but has only one goal in eight games.
Soccer: Former U.S. men’s national team defender Matt Besler, who spent 13 seasons in MLS and was a five-time All-Star, retired. Besler, 34, played 47 matches for the national team from 2013-2017, including all four matches of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where the U.S. advanced to the round of 16. He played 12 seasons with Sporting Kansas City before spending this year with Austin FC. He was the MLS defender of the year in 2012 and helped Kansas City win the league title in 2013.
Tennis: Andy Murray downed top-seeded Jannik Sinner 7-6 (4), 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of the Stockholm Open. It was 34-year-old Murray’s second victory over a top-10 opponent in the last two weeks after the three-time Grand Slam champion, who has had two hip surgeries, beat Hubert Hurkacz in Vienna. Murray next faces Tommy Paul, who upset doubles partner and fifth-seeded Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4.