Giants, Chargers players test positive for COVID-19
COVID-19 is the terrible, unwanted gift that keeps on giving for the NFL. The New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers both announced that a player on their respective squads tested positive.
According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, starting left guard Will Hernandez will be placed on the reserve/COVID list for the Giants, which seems to suggest that he is the player who was placed in self-isolation last night after the team learned about the positive test. Contact tracing is underway, and all but four of the team's offensive linemen have been quarantined due to close contact.
The Giants are scheduled to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night. The game has not yet been rescheduled, as the team's facilities have remained open, with players and staff coming in contact with the player being told to stay home Thursday.
The Chargers are following a similar path. They put an unnamed player who tested positive in self-isolation while sending those in close contact home. The team's facilities also remain open, and the game against the Broncos has not been rescheduled.
At this point, it's hard to imagine that the NFL will not continue to have positive tests around the league if it stays the current course. While the league has not had to cancel any games so far, it's clear that the strategy of consistent testing and safety protocols is not limiting the spread. While the Titans are the only team to experience a real outbreak, it may only be a matter of time before one or more teams have a similar experience.
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