Report: Patriots S Kyle Dugger tests positive for COVID-19
ESPN's Field Yates previously tweeted there was hope that New England Patriots star safety Kyle Dugger may avoid the reserve/COVID-19 list following a virus-related "situation" earlier on Wednesday:
That, however, is no longer the case, as Dugger was one of four NFL players who produced new positive COVID-19 test results halfway through the midweek:
As Jake Levin noted for NBC Sports Boston, it's unknown if Dugger is vaccinated against COVID-19. A vaccinated player can return to team activities by producing a pair of negative virus tests at least 24 hours apart and remaining asymptomatic. An unvaccinated player must isolate away from his club for a minimum of 10 days.
The first-place Patriots (8-4) play at the second-place Buffalo Bills (7-4) on Monday night ahead of New England's bye. Dugger's status for that matchup is understandably up in the air, but the week off suggests he'd miss only a single game unless he experiences lingering physical setbacks related to the coronavirus.
According to ESPN stats, Dugger leads the Patriots with 80 total tackles, and he's third on the team with three interceptions. He's also contributed one fumble recovery.
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