3 NFL games moved due to COVID-19 outbreaks

(AP) — The NFL has moved 3 games due to the fact that of COVID-19 outbreaks: Las Vegas astatine Cleveland from Saturday to Monday; and Seattle astatine the Los Angeles Rams and Washington astatine Philadelphia from Sunday to Tuesday.

The Browns could person been without arsenic galore arsenic 16 regulars connected Saturday, truthful the crippled is present scheduled to footwear disconnected astatine 5 p.m. EST Monday. It volition beryllium televised by NFL Network.

Washington and Philadelphia volition play astatine 7 p.m. connected Tuesday, arsenic volition the Seahawks and Rams. Both games volition beryllium televised by Fox and disposable connected Sunday Ticket.

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“We person made these docket changes based connected aesculapian proposal and aft treatment with the NFLPA arsenic we are seeing a new, highly transmissible signifier of the microorganism this week resulting successful a important summation successful cases crossed the league,” the NFL said successful a statement. “We proceed to marque decisions successful consultation with aesculapian experts to guarantee the wellness and information of the NFL community.”

Previously, the NFL did not program to determination immoderate games due to the fact that of coronavirus outbreaks. It adjacent said forfeits “could beryllium successful play.” But caller developments with the omicron strain of COVID-19 has changed the league’s reasoning — arsenic did respective outbreaks crossed the league entering Week 15 of the season.

The determination was not looked astatine kindly by immoderate Raiders players.

“I wage my subordinate dues conscionable to get lied to and the rules bent! ” linebacker K.J. Wright tweeted astatine the league and the players’ union. “If it was the different mode astir I curse we would beryllium playing tomorrow.”

Last season, successful the midst of the coronavirus, the NFL completed its play connected schedule, but had to reschedule 15 games, immoderate to midweek. In July, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell warned the 32 teams that nary games would beryllium rescheduled nether specified circumstances and, instead, forfeits could happen.

“As we learned past year, we tin play a afloat play if we support a steadfast committedness to adhering to our wellness and information protocols and to making needed adjustments successful effect to changing conditions,” Goodell said.

On Friday, those adjustments included much rescheduling.

Earlier Friday, Saints manager Sean Payton tested affirmative for COVID-19 and was instantly isolated from the team.

Payton, who is vaccinated and tested affirmative successful 2020 for the coronavirus, volition stay isolated for 10 days unless helium meets the league requirements for a afloat vaccinated idiosyncratic to instrumentality to the squad environment.

The Saints said antiaircraft coordinator Dennis Allen has been assigned caput coaching duties for Sunday night’s crippled astatine Tampa Bay. Payton is expected to instrumentality for New Orleans’ crippled against the Miami Dolphins connected Dec. 27.

The affirmative trial for Payton comes aft helium missed signifier Wednesday erstwhile the nine said helium was “under the weather” but had tested negative. Payton was backmost astatine signifier and meetings connected Thursday.

Payton’s affirmative trial came arsenic COVID-19 cases spiked crossed the NFL successful caller days, mirroring trends seen successful the wide population.

Three Saints players — antiaircraft extremity Cameron Jordan, moving backmost Mark Ingram and receiver Ty Montgomery — did not play against the New York Jets connected Sunday due to the fact that of affirmative COVID-19 tests. But by Thursday, Jordan and Montgomery had been activated from New Orleans’ reserve/COVID-19 list.

The Saints (6-7) snapped a five-game skid erstwhile they bushed the Jets 30-9 and stay successful contention for 1 of the NFC’s wild-card playoff spots with 4 regular-season games remaining.

In Week 2 of this season, the Saints were without galore adjunct coaches due to the fact that of a microorganism outbreak, but Payton was not among those which tested positive. Payton was among the archetypal NFL employees known to person contracted COVID-19 successful the outpouring of 2020.