Cardinals coach Kingsbury, two others test positive for COVID, to miss game vs. Browns
Arizona coach Kliff Kingsbury, quarterbacks coach Cam Turner and defensive tackle Zach Allen will miss the Cardinals’ game Sunday at Cleveland after testing positive for COVID-19.
The news Friday adds to the virus woes for the NFL’s only unbeaten team, which also put star linebacker Chandler Jones on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who has head coaching experience in Denver, and assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers will split head coaching responsibilities for Cardinals, who are 5-0 for the first time since 1974. Additional offensive duties will be assumed by other members of the offensive coaching staff, the team said Friday.
Kingsbury said earlier this week that the team has been 100 percent vaccinated for quite a while, but that hasn’t stopped the virus from upending their plans.
“It’s just the way it goes,” Kingsbury said Wednesday, one day after Jones was put on the list.
Also on Friday, the Cardinals acquired tight end Zach Ertz in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Arizona sent cornerback Tay Gowan and a 2022 fifthround pick to the Eagles for the 30-year-old Ertz, a three-time Pro Bowler. Arizona lost starting tight end Maxx Williams to a season-ending knee injury Sunday against San Francisco.
BROWNS: Star running back Nick Chubb will miss the Cleveland Browns’ game Sunday against the undefeated Arizona Cardinals, but wide receiver Jarvis Landry could return to action.
Chubb, who is second in the NFL with 523 yards rushing, did not practice all week because of a calf injury and was
ruled out by coach Kevin Stefanski following the team’s workout Friday.
“No one person can replace Nick Chubb,” Stefanski said. “Other guys are going to have to step up.”
Chubb ran for 161 yards last week in a 47-42 road loss to the Chargers. The two-time Pro Bowl selection has scored four touchdowns as part of Cleveland’s league-leading rushing attack with Kareem Hunt, who is listed as questionable with wrist and knee injuries.
Landry was on the practice field for the first time since suffering a sprained knee against Houston on Sept. 19. The fivetime Pro Bowl pick was designated to return from injured reserve earlier in the day.
Stefanski was noncommittal about Landry’s status against Arizona, but didn’t rule out his activation, provided his medical collateral ligament injury doesn’t flare up before the Saturday deadline.
“I think we’ll see,” the coach said.
SEAHAWKS: The Seattle Seahawks placed quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Chris Carson on injured reserve Friday, a move that will keep both players out until at least mid-November.
Coach Pete Carroll had said earlier in the day that Wilson would be placed on IR and the team was considering a similar move with Carson due to a lingering neck issue.
Both players will be unavailable at least until Seattle’s game on Nov. 14 against Green Bay.
Wilson is recovering from surgery on his right middle finger. He has started every game of his career — 165 games regular season and playoffs combined — until now.
Carson is Seattle’s leading rusher with 232 yards and three touchdowns in his four games played.
CHARGERS: Wide receiver Mike Williams is questionable for the Los Angeles Chargers’ key AFC matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday due to a knee injury.
Coach Brandon Staley said Williams’ knee had some swelling after last Sunday’s 4742 win over the Cleveland Browns. Williams, who had a career-high 165 yards on eight receptions and two touchdowns in that game, did not practice all week, but Staley said he is hoping Williams’ status becomes more clear before the team leaves for Baltimore today.
Williams is fifth in the league in receiving yards (571) and tied for eighth in receptions with 31.
GIANTS: Less than a week after sustaining a scary concussion against the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has been cleared to play against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Jones was a full participant in practice on Friday, the nextto-last step in the NFL concussion protocol. He was examined by an independent neurological consultant after the workout and cleared to play in the game at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants will not have running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver Kenny Golladay in the lineup against the Rams.
Barkley has a sprained left ankle and Golladay has a knee injury. They were both hurt against the Cowboys and were ruled out after not practicing this week.