New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton tested positive for COVID-19 late Friday night, forcing the team to rule him out for a now-postponed game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Safety Tyrann Mathieu responded by delivering a strong message to his Twitter followers. He told them to “Wear your mask, wash your hands.”
The Chiefs’ star delivered the message at the same time that news surfaced about Newton’s diagnosis and the postponement of the game between the two perennial playoff contenders. Many fans responded to Mathieu’s plea but did not fully agree with him. Some said that they would wash their hands but refused to wear a mask. Others asked why Mathieu was “calling out” Newton despite reports surfacing about a member of the Chiefs also testing positive.
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While thousands of Twitter users argued about the validity of masks, others opted for a different approach. They proclaimed that the NFL needs to follow the lead of the NBA and NHL. These fans want to see the games take place in a special bubble away from the general public. Basketball and hockey players alike avoided positive tests during their times in the bubble, and many NFL fans said that the football players could see a similar outcome.
“The New England-Kansas City game scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday will be rescheduled to Monday or Tuesday after positive COVID-19 tests on both teams,” the NFL said in a statement on Saturday. “In consultation with infectious disease experts, both clubs are working closely with the NFL and the NFLPA to evaluate multiple close contacts, perform additional testing and monitor developments. All decisions will be made with the health and safety of players, team and gameday personnel as our primary consideration.”
Mathieu told people to wash their hands and wear a mask, but some people wanted him to go a step further. They said that the Chiefs’ defender needs to also provide similar advice to that of Davante Adams. The Green Bay Packers wide receiver has a straightforward formula for avoiding illness, which he offered before a playoff game.
“Wash your hands, wash your butt,” Adams told reporters. “That’s what I tell everybody. Those are the two things you gotta make sure you keep clean.” There were several people on social media proclaiming that they religiously follow Adams’ advice in order to remain healthy and that NFL players need to do so as well.
