95 NFL players have tested positive for COVID-19, and that number could grow even more significantly. According to TMZ, the number of positive tests is expected to grow into the hundreds once they ramp up the testing. The 95 positives are from the past four months when the league starting administering tests.
One thing to note is the number of positive tests doesn’t mean the same amount of people still have the coronavirus. There have been a few players who tested positive and now are cleared to practice, including Von Miller and Ezekiel Elliott. But with players starting to report to camp this week, more testing will be done, and there will likely be more positive results.
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“You got to put the health of the players first,” Elliott said back in June when talking playing during a pandemic. “It’s not even so much I would say the players’ health because I mean I got corona and it didn’t really affect me much, but a lot of people have kids, they may have kids with asthma, they may have newborn babies, their parents or grandparents may live with them. We have to find a way just to make sure the players and their families and the coaches also and their families aren’t put at risk.”
Last week, the NFL Players Association announced 72 players have tested positive for COVID-19 since July 10. The NFL has no plans of delaying the season, but if more players test positive in the next few weeks, pushing the season back might be up for discussion. “I think top of mind is are we gonna have a season?” Green Bay Packers quarterback Rodgers said while taking part in the American Century Championship. “I think there’s a lot of things yet to be figured out.”
When it comes to the four major pro sports in North America, the NFL had to most time to prepare for the pandemic since it started in March. Both the league and the NFL Players Association are finalizing a plan for the 2020 season, which will include coronavirus testing every day for the first two weeks at training camp and not having any preseason games. The regular season is set to start of Sept. 10, and its likely fans will not be allowed to attend games.
