I am not a doctor but it did not take a medical expert to think that the Patriots (2-2) and Chiefs (4-0) playing on Monday night was extremely reckless just a few days after quarterback Cam Newton was the first player for New England to test positive for Coronavirus. Yesterday, a practice squad defensive lineman for the Pats named Bill Murray (haha yep, that's his actual name) who nobody had ever heard of was put on their Reserve/Covid-19 list (a grim new necessity for 2020). Of course every life matters as much as any other but again, we were treated to more nightmare fuel this morning as we woke up to the news that cornerback Stephon Gilmore-last season's NFL Defensive Player of the Year-had also tested positive for Covid-19.
In a tweet posted later this morning, Cam wrote "WEAR YOUR MASK. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE" along with a picture of him wearing a mask. Reports have noted that he is asymptomatic while Gilmore's tweet said the same thing coupled with the details that "I've followed every protocol, yet it happened to me. Please be sure to take this seriously." This is not the proper time to debate whether Gilmore is being truthful or not. It's up to each individual person to choose to follow the correct procedures during this living nightmare or like our disgrace of a President, be prepared to suffer the possibly fatal consequences if you don't. There have been pictures on social media lately of Newton shopping in Boston last week without a mask on his face so there is that. These are grown, well-compensated men who should be smart enough to take this seriously however this all comes back to the NFL's unwillingness to do anything drastic in terms of safety measures (since they absolutely have to play this season, right now!) like employ a bubble.
It was only a matter of time before an outbreak happened in the league and we can thank the Titans' utter stupidity for that distinction. They already had their Week 4 game vs. Pittsburgh moved because of so many positive tests and despite not being in their facilities last week, more guys on Tennessee are still catching Coronavirus. One of the craziest things to come out of Cam's initial diagnosis was everyone rushing to say well no other Patriots tested positive so they were fit to fly to Kansas City early Monday morning (on two planes, one for the guys that had closest contact to Newton) then back home that same night. Any quarterback of an NFL team is going to interact face-to-face with numerous people every day let alone every week during his professional playing career especially during the regular season.
For now, New England's Week 5 meeting with the Broncos (1-3) on Sunday afternoon (4:25, CBS) at Gillette Stadium is still on, because why wouldn't it be? The Patriots' facilities are closed today and tomorrow so they'll be working remotely like so many others around this country. What a joke, clearly the NFL could care less about the health of its players, coaches and others who are employed by all of their teams not to mention the families, friends and co-workers of said people. It's doubtful that either Newton or Gilmore will be available to play by Sunday against Denver but that hardly seems important at a time of national crisis like this.
UPDATE 10/8/20: There will be no in-person practice tomorrow for the third straight day for the Pats. As a result, for the second week in a row the Patriots have seen their Sunday afternoon game moved to Monday. Now they'll tentatively host the Broncos in the first game (5, ESPN) of a doubleheader.
UPDATE 10/11/20: You're not going to believe this but after another positive Covid-19 test for a Patriots player-defensive tackle Byron Cowart-was revealed this morning (after testing last night), their game tomorrow vs Denver has been postponed. Both teams will now have a bye this week (Week 5) and they'll try to play next Sunday afternoon at 1 pm. What a disaster, I guess we'll have to wait and see if the game ever happens at this point since it's already been delayed twice.
UPDATE 10/12/20: Reports from yesterday that Cowart had tested positive for Covid-19 turned out to be true as today the Pats made him the fourth player to be placed on their Reserve/Covid-19 list. The Patriots didn't practice today and they won't tomorrow either, hopefully they can get things back and running on Wednesday but we shall see.
UPDATE 10/13/20: Now there is no practice scheduled tomorrow for the Pats, just a workout.
UPDATE 10/16/20: The Patriots simply cannot have nice things anymore: after their first practice of the week happened yesterday with Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore back on the field, today's practice was cancelled after another positive Covid-19 test. Offensive lineman James Farentz is reportedly the latest Patriot to catch the Coronavirus. Will this ever end? Probably not since they are also waiting for confirmation on another positive Covid-19 test.
UPDATE 10/17/20: ESPN's Field Yates just reported that the Patriots put three more guys (!!!) on the Reserve/Covid-19 list: running back Sony Michel (currently on IR anyway), guard Shaq Mason and defensive end Derek Rivers. Oh but don't worry folks, the Pats-Broncos game is still on for tomorrow. In other non-Coronavirus news, two of Denver's best players (running back Melvin Gordon and tight end Noah Fant) didn't even make the trip to Massachusetts as they remained in Colorado with injuries.
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