NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday the league remains committed to finishing the regular season as scheduled.
Goodell also said on a conference call that while the NFL is considering a bubble format for the playoffs, it wouldn’t necessarily resemble what the NHL and NBA used in successfully completing their seasons.
“It will take partnership and discipline to complete this season. I’m confident we’ll be able to do it,” Goodell said, referring the NFL Players Association, the clubs and the players.
Added Dawn Aponte, the league’s chief football administrative officer: “In terms of the guidelines we have used, our guiding principle is medical and we are trying to ensure we are playing all games safely. Providing we can do so within 17 weeks, that is what our objective is and will continue to be.”
Goodell and Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, noted that a bubble concept can have many iterations.
“We don’t see the bubble as most refer to it in one location,” Goodell said. “We feel strongly that our protocols are working. We’re willing to adjust and adapt those protocols, take additional steps. But I don’t see us doing the bubble in the sense that the media focuses on it.”
Sills pointed to the need “to recognize whenever we think about structuring something for the teams, look at the risks and benefits. There is no plan that will be completely risk free. We have to make what we think is the best and safest decision. All options remain on the table and will be driven by what the data show us. We have adjusted our protocols nearly every week.”
For Week 12, the NFL was forced to reschedule the Baltimore at Pittsburgh game from Thanksgiving night to Sunday, then Tuesday and finally Wednesday because of a COVID-19 outbreak among the Ravens.
Also, the Broncos played their regularly scheduled game with the Saints on Sunday despite having no experienced quarterbacks due to violations of the league’s coronavirus protocols. There’s also been disruption to the Week 13 schedule because of the Ravens’ situation.
CHARGERS: Tyrod Taylor will not file a grievance against the team over the medical incident that led to the quarterback ultimately losing his starting job, a person from the NFL with knowledge of the situation confirmed.
Taylor suffered a punctured lung Sept. 20 while receiving a pregame injection meant to help him deal with pain from a previous rib injury.
Rookie Justin Herbert was forced to start against Kansas City when Taylor was unable to play. Herbert has been the team’s starter since then, playing well enough to emerge among the league leaders in several passing categories.
STEELERS: Pittsburgh Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list just hours before Wednesday afternoon’s kickoff against the Ravens, a game delayed three times because of a COVID-19 outbreak in Baltimore.
Pouncey is the fourth Pittsburgh player to join the list in the past week. Defensive end Stephon Tuitt, running back James Conner and reserve offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins are also out for Pittsburgh.
JAGUARS: Coach Doug Marrone said he’s sticking with quarterback Mike Glennon at Minnesota (5-6) on Sunday even though Gardner Minshew is fully healthy. He added that Minshew has been cleared to practice in full after recovering from a sprained thumb on his throwing hand, an indication Marrone and his staff have given up on the 2019 sixth-round draft pick who was a rookie sensation.
BILLS: Buffalo linebackers Matt Milano and Tyrel Dodson were designated to return to practice on Wednesday after spending time on injured reserve.
Milano, a starter, missed three games over four weeks with a partially torn pectoral muscle. Dodson, a primary backup, has been sidelined since hurting his hamstring in a 26-17 loss to Kansas City on Oct. 19.
BRONCOS: Quarterbacks Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles were allowed to rejoin their teammates at practice after being activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Their return means practice squad receiver Kendall Hinton won’t have to be the one taking the snaps at Kansas City (10-1) next weekend as he did in Denver’s 31-3 loss to New Orleans on Sunday. The Broncos (4-7) were forced to play the Saints without any of their quarterbacks after Lock, Rypien and Bortles were deemed high-risk close contacts 24 hours earlier for having been mask-less around QB Jeff Driskel before he tested positive for the coronavirus on Thanksgiving.
LIONS: Detroit put cornerback Desmond Trufant and defensive tackle Danny Shelton on injured reserve.
The Lions also announced that they have activated tight end Hunter Bryant from IR and signed defensive tackle Kevin Strong to the active roster from the practice squad. Detroit signed cornerback Alex Myres to the practice squad. The Lions said defensive end Julian Okwara and cornerback Darryl Roberts, both on injured reserve, were returning to practice Wednesday.
DOLPHINS: Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was limited in practice because of a lingering thumb injury, leaving in doubt his availability Sunday against Cincinnati.
Tagovailoa missed last week’s game against the New York Jets because of the injury to the thumb on his throwing hand. Ryan Fitzpatrick replaced him and threw two touchdown passes in Miami’s 20-3 win.
Tagovailoa, whose left hand was taped for practice, said Coach Brian Flores and the medical staff won’t rush his return to the lineup.
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