So far, the New England Patriots have been able to avoid the brunt of the NFL’s surge in COVID-19 cases. Matthew Judon wants to ensure it stays that way.
The Patriots’ sack leader on Wednesday shared the message he’s preaching to his teammates amid the league’s recent coronavirus spike.
“All we can say as leaders or anybody is just protect yourself,” a masked-up Judon told reporters. “If you’re going outside, please wear a mask. Try not to spend time in places where you really don’t have to when you can be at home.
“As we all know from last year, it’s a very tough time just staying at home, so just protect yourself as much as you can, and when you don’t have to be somewhere, please go home. And if you have to be somewhere, just please wear a mask, wear it correctly and try to wash your hands as much as possible.”
More than NFL players have been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list this week, including at least 15 each from the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns. The Rams and Browns are among seven teams currently in enhanced COVID protocols — which require all-virtual meetings and mandated indoor masking — per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The NFL and NFLPA reportedly are discussing potential changes to the league’s standard COVID protocols to account for the significant uptick in positive tests among vaccinated, asymptomatic players.
The Patriots currently have just one member of their 53-man roster on the COVID list: reserve running back J.J. Taylor. Tight end Dalton Keene, who is on injured reserve, also was placed on the COVID list earlier this week.
Patriots starting safety Kyle Dugger sat out last week’s win over the Buffalo Bills after testing positive, and offensive linemen Isaiah Wynn and Mike Onwenu both missed a game earlier this season after landing on COVID reserve.
Safety Devin McCourty knocked on a wooden podium Tuesday as he discussed the Patriots’ current COVID situation.
“I think for us as a team, we’ve been pretty safe with it so far, of how we’ve kind of handled ourselves,” McCourty said. “I think coming off a bye week and this time of the year with the holidays, all those different things playing factors. We just try to tell everybody to think about the team, whatever you do. Whatever decision you make, try to think about how it will impact the team and go from there.”
The NFL isn’t the only league currently struggling with COVID-related issues. It’s been a problem in both the NBA and the NFL, as well.
The Boston Bruins have placed three players in COVID protocol this week, with Patrice Bergeron joining Brad Marchand and Craig Smith on Wednesday. One of Boston’s recent opponents, the Calgary Flames, has 16 players and one staffer in protocol, leading to the postponement of at least Calgary’s next three games.
In the NBA, the Brooklyn Nets played — and won — Tuesday night with nearly half of their roster in health and safety protocols — basketball’s version of the reserve/COVID-19 list. The Chicago Bulls have had to postpone multiple games.
“Numbers are up everywhere,” McCourty said. “I always say we can’t think because we play in the NFL and we want to be healthy that we’re just going to shield ourselves and not get COVID. You try to tell guys (to) be smart and do different things, but it’s the realization of, like, numbers are climbing. Let’s try to stay inside as much as we can and different things like that.”
The Patriots are preparing to visit the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.
