Patriots reportedly have no new positive COVID-19 tests, could play Sunday

The New England Patriots seemed like they were set to become the second team to face a COVID-19 outbreak after quarterback Cam Newton and cornerback Stephon Gilmore tested positive. But the team may have successfully stopped the spread, as NFL Network's Ian Rappoport reported that the Patriots had zero positive COVID-19 tests this morning, putting them in a position to potentially play Sunday's matchup against the Denver Broncos.

"The #Patriots had no new positive tests today, I’m told," Rappoport tweeted. "They are working remotely, for at least one more round of COVID-19 tests."

This is a relief not just for New England but for the entire league, as the NFL had a disastrous couple of days in terms of COVID-19. Newton was already forced to miss the Patriots' Monday night loss to the Kansas City Chiefs but then Gilmore tested positive following the game. 

The team was not alone, as Raiders defensive tackle Maurice Hurst was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after 10 Raiders players were fined a total of $165,000 by the NFL on Monday for violating coronavirus protocols at a charity event hosted by tight end Darren Waller (Hurst was not one of the players fined).

And, of course, there's the Tennessee Titans, who are reportedly being investigated about whether or not the Tennessee Titans violated the league's mandated health and safety protocols. If they are found to be guilty of violating protocol, they could face severe punishment from the league, including fines and/or loss of draft picks.

Hopefully, the league is able to get everything in order and all players who tested positive recover quickly. But maybe just as important, this will hopefully be a wake-up call for teams, as they could put the entire season in jeopardy with their carelessness.