Covid – 19: Tennesee Titans Experience NFL’s First Outbreak

The coming weeks will determine the future of the NFL in a pandemic following the league’s first Covid-19 outbreak. 

Tuesday reports confirmed that the Tennessee Titans returned eight positive tests, and halted team operations. Via the New York Times, three players and 5 team personnel tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Titans didn’t formally announce who tested positive, but it did place three players on the reserve/Covid-19 list. 

They are tight end Tommy Hudson, defensive tackle DaQuan Jones and long snapper Beau Brinkley. As well as that, outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen didn’t travel to Minnesota for the recent Vikings game.

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As a result of potential exposure, the Vikings have also halted operations although they returned no positive tests.

“Out of the abundance of caution, the organization has decided to work remotely today as we follow NFL protocols related to the coronavirus,” said the Tennessee Titans in a Tuesday statement.

“Several tests have come back positive and are working through the process of confirming them. We will have more information tomorrow.”

“Both clubs are working closely with the N.F.L. and the N.F.L.P.A., including our infectious disease experts, to evaluate close contacts, perform additional testing and monitor developments,” the league said in a joint statement with the players’ union. 

“All decisions will be made with health and safety as our primary consideration. We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.”

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How the NFL copes with it’s first outbreak will determine whether the season can feasibly be played in pandemic conditions. It could be that it was simply always going to be impossible. English soccer has also experienced its first outbreak, and like the NFL, it was just three weeks into the season.