NFL COVID-19 outbreak is impacting New York Giants – Big Blue View
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Oshane Ximines, John Ross make three Giants who have tested positive this week
The COVID-19 outbreak that is racing around the NFL is not sparing the New York Giants. The Giants announced Wednesday that are now up to six players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, five of whom have tested positive this week.
Rookie wide receiver Kadarius Toney was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list earlier in the week. On Wednesday, wide receiver John Ross, edge defender Oshane Ximines, linebacker Cam Brown and cornerback Aaron Robinson all tested positive and were placed on the reserve list. Safety Xavier McKinney was placed on the list as a high-risk close contact.
As a close contact, if McKinney continues to test negative, he will be allowed to return to the Giants facility on Saturday and would be able to play on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys in MetLife Stadium. The remaining players would appear likely to miss Sunday’s game.
The Giants also had a long list of players miss Wednesday’s walk-through practice. It is unclear which of those are injury-related, and which are considered close contacts of players who tested positive.
Dozens of players and coaches across the league have tested positive this week, severely impacting teams across the league.
NFL now has seven teams in enhanced COVID protocols: Browns, Bears, Falcons, Lions, Rams, Vikings and the WFT.
The Giants have not as of yet announced that they will begin enhanced protocols. They are, though, taking extra precautions.
“All the players are in masks, they’re all spaced out,” Judge said. “We’re making sure that everybody is completely aired out. We’re in the bubble behind you where there’s more air. We’ll make sure that we’re safe throughout the remainder of the day. Anyone who’s been involved in any kind of a close contact or test at this point has either been removed or separated from the team and they’re in virtual meetings.”
The Giantds may go to a virtual meeting schedule for the remainder of the week.
“We’ll talk as a staff and I’ll talk with the captains today about the remainder of the week of handling meetings partially virtual and then getting the guys over here to practice,” Judge said. “We’ve done that in the past and it has worked smoothly.”
In a bit of good news, quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski and backup offensive lineman Wes Martin, who tested positive for the virus last week, have cleared the protocol and are heading back to New Jersey. They had to remain in Tuscon, Ariz. to quarantine.
There was also this bit of news:
Sources: Owners and execs were told by the NFL this morning that the league is discussing significant changes to COVID-19 protocols with the union.
Thus, the NFL, like much of the country, appears to be going in the wrong direction when it comes to getting through the pandemic.
