Possible mask breach by Bourne may cost 49ers
SANTA CLARA >> Kendrick Bourne’s positive COVID-19 test from Tuesday has spawned more trouble.
A NFL investigation revealed a potential violation by the 49ers wide receiver for not wearing his protective face covering properly or frequently, a league source told this news organization.
The 49ers are, thus, subject to discipline such as a fine. The team had no comment on the investigation’s findings.
Another round of COVID-19 test results revealed no positive results from Bourne or any other 49ers, a league source said.
Still, Bourne and three players identified as high-risk close contacts were out for Thursday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, per league COVID-19 safety protocols.
Those close- contact players are left tackle Trent Williams and wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
Those four players must remain away from the 49ers until at least Sunday, a five- day span dating to Bourne’s positive test.
Bourne’s agent, Henry Organ, claims that Bourne had a false positive result. The NFL disputed that, noting there have been 104 times an individual tested positive one day and negative the next, and 101 times that individual indeed turned out to be positive.
Bourne continues to have no coronavirus symptoms and has isolated at his home since Wednesday, according to Organ, who noted that Bourne’s roommates all have tested negative for COVID-19.
The 49ers had no players on the NFL’s COVID-19 reserve list all season until Bourne on Wednesday, followed by those three closecontact teammates.
Earlier this week, after COVID-19 issues hit the Packers and Baltimore Ravens, the NFL advised teams to have players wear masks on the sideline and in the locker room, and that benches be spread out further between the 20-yard lines during games. QUICK CHANGE OF PACE FOR RODGERS >> The San Francisco 49ers stopped the Green Bay Packers offense on consecutive series in the first half, providing a glimmer of hope that despite being severely shorthanded, they could hang around with Aaron Rodgers and company.
Then the 49ers proceeded to make one critical mistake after another, and Rodgers and the Packers made them pay.
Withe the 49ers down by four points with the ball at midfield, a missed assignment along the 49ers offensive line indirectly led to Raven Greene’s game- changing interception of Nick Mullens’ pass with 11:42 left in the first half. Greene returned the ball to the San Francisco 38.
Rodgers moved the Packers 29 yards down to the 49ers’ 9-yard line. On third down, a questionable pass interference call on Jason Verrett with 7:05 left before halftime gave the Packers a first down at the 1-yard line. On the next play, Rodgers found a wideopen Marcedes Lewis in the end zone for touchdown pass, giving Green Bay a 14-3 lead after the extra point.
After the 49ers went three-andout on their next possession, Rodgers, 5- 6 now against the 49ers, went right back to work after Green Bay took over at its own 13. Rodgers moved the ball 35 yards on nine plays, converting two third downs in the process, giving the Packers a first down on their 48-yard line.
With all kinds of time to pass on first down, Rodgers threw a 52-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field to an open Marquez Valdes- Scantling, who had raced pass a flat-footed Marcell Harris in the secondary for what would become a 21-3 Green Bay lead.
So in a matter of roughly 10 minutes, the 49ers went from driving for a potential go-ahead score to being down and out. 49ERS INACTIVES >> Out for the 49ers were running back Tevin Coleman ( knee), linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (hamstring), and, quite surprisingly, cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who’s apparently returned to the coaching staff’s doghouse because he has not been on the injury report recently.
Safety Jaquiski Tartt (groin) and James suited up after being listed as questionable. PACKERS’ JONES PLAYS >> The defense faced Packers top rusher Aaron Jones. Jones had missed the Packers’ past two games with a calf injury. Out for the Packers were left tackle David Bakhtiari (chest), cornerback Kevin King (quadriceps), safeties Will Redmond (shoulder) and Vernon Scott (shoulder), quarterback Jordan Love, and defensive lineman Billy Winn.