This is not necessarily a known fact, but more of a fun headline. With starting punter Tommy Townsend on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Chiefs signed two punters to their practice squad, Joseph Charlton and Tommy’s brother, Johnny Townsend.
Tommy went undrafted last year and took over as Kansas City’s primary punter by the end of training camp. Johnny was selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft by the then-Oakland Raiders. Johnny spent time on practice squads for the Giants, Ravens and Chiefs before returning to Baltimore to spend some time on the active roster filling in for Sam Koch while he was on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Upon Koch’s return, Johnny was waived and returned to the Ravens’ practice squad. After being released again this September, Johnny spent time on the practice squads for Tennessee and Houston, getting released after less than a month by both teams. Then, as mentioned above, the Chiefs picked him up on their practice squad on Thursday.
The Townsends will most likely not be spending Christmas together if Tommy has tested positive for COVID-19 and/or is showing symptoms, based on the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol, especially if he is unvaccinated. If Tommy is unvaccinated, the required 10-day isolation period would see him missing not only this week’s game against the Steelers but next Sunday’s game in Cincinnati, as well. If Tommy is vaccinated and asymptomatic, the new protocols, put in place in the wake of the omicron variant’s rampant spread, could see Tommy out of isolation any early as Saturday, a true Christmas miracle!
Either way, I have to imagine the Townsends are feeling the Christmas cheer just knowing that the two are in the same city this holiday season. I hope everyone who celebrated enjoyed their Hanukkah. I wish a happy Boxing Day and Kwanzaa to our readers who celebrate those in the next few days and a Merry Christmas for the lovers of that holiday on Saturday. And a Happy Festivus for the rest of us!
More must-reads: