The Chicago Bears and Houston Texans canceled practice and closed their facilities Thursday after each had a player test positive for COVID-19, while the Kansas City Chiefs closed their facility after practice because an unidentified staff member tested positive.
Kansas City continued its preparations remotely for Sunday’s game against Carolina. Chicago is scheduled to play at Tennessee on Sunday.
The Bears said in a statement they found out in the morning about the positive test. They said the player and all close contacts are self-isolating. Backup offensive tackle Jason Spriggs and starting right guard Germain Ifedi were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday.
Chicago Coach Matt Nagy indicated Wednesday that Spriggs tested positive and Ifedi was placed on the list because of a close contact. Nagy said at the time he wasn’t sure if Spriggs was experiencing symptoms.
The Chiefs have been remarkably clear of positive COVID-19 tests since early in the season, when a player on their practice squad tested positive before a game against New England. Fullback Anthony Sherman recently came off the COVID-19 list. He was placed on it because he had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive.
Houston will be without three linebackers Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars after linebacker Jacob Martin tested positive for COVID-19.
The team learned that Martin tested positive Wednesday night and shut down its facility on Thursday. Martin was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Interim coach Romeo Crennel said starting linebacker Whitney Mercilus and reserve linebacker Dylan Cole would also miss Sunday’s game after contact tracing found that they had been in close contact with Martin. Both players will have to isolate for five days.
COLTS: Indianapolis says one staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 and is under the care of team doctors. The team still held practice Thursday but did team meetings virtually and away from headquarters.
The Colts say they have entered the league’s intensive protocol and are working with NFL officials and medical staff. The team staffer is in quarantine.
The announcement comes one day after Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Indy (5-2) beat the Lions 41-21 last weekend and hosts Baltimore (5-2) on Sunday. Eight defensive players missed the Ravens’ practice Wednesday after Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey said Monday he had tested positive. Humphrey is the only one of the eight to test positive.
LIONS: Detroit put safety Jalen Elliott on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
The list is for players who either test positive or have been in close contact with an infected person. Detroit also put linebacker Jarrad Davis and quarterback Matthew Stafford on the list earlier in the week.
Coach Matt Patricia wouldn’t discuss Stafford’s status for Sunday’s game at Minnesota.
JETS: Sam Darnold missed practice after aggravating his shoulder injury last week, but Coach Adam Gase remains optimistic that the quarterback will be able to play against the Patriots on Monday night.
Gase said the Jets are giving Darnold an extra day of rest as the team prepares to host the Patriots.
“We’ll see where he’s at after today,” Gase said during a video call. “I think he’s going to be able to practice tomorrow, unless something changes.”
Darnold missed two games last month after spraining the AC joint in his right shoulder against Denver on Oct. 1. He took a hard hit at Kansas City on Sunday and appeared to grimace, but remained in the game after being checked out on the sideline.
Darnold will have had four days off before he attempts to practice again. While that might not seem ideal, Gase feels “pretty good” about Darnold’s chances of playing.
“I think it’s going to take a lot for him to stay out of this game,” Gase said.
RAIDERS: Las Vegas placed right tackle Trent Brown back on the COVID-19 list for a second time this season.
The Raiders made the move because Brown still has complications from the illness after a positive test last month.
Brown missed one game following his positive test but was set to return last week, but he was sent to the hospital just before the game following a reported IV mishap.
Brown has played at least 10 offensive snaps in only 11 of 23 games since he left the Patriots to sign a $66 million, four-year deal with the Raiders in March 2019.
The Raiders were also without running back Josh Jacobs and safety Johnathan Abram at practice because of illnesses. Abram also missed practice on Wednesday, but Jacobs was new to the injury report.
DOLPHINS: Running back Myles Gaskin went on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least three games because of a knee injury.
Backup Matt Breida is nursing a hamstring injury, which could mean more playing time Sunday at Arizona for Jordan Howard.
Gaskin has been the Dolphins’ best backfield threat, with 387 yards rushing and 198 receiving.
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