Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings suspend all in-person NFL activities over positive COVID-19 tests
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (NewsNation Now) — Both the Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings have suspended all in-person club activities after players and personnel tested positive for coronavirus.
Three players and five personnel tested positive for coronavirus on the Titans, the NFL confirmed in a statement. The Vikings said in a statement Tuesday that so far they have had no positive tests. The Titans and Vikings played each other on Sunday.
Titans placed defensive lineman Daquan Jones, long snapper Beau Brinkley and practice squad tight end Tommy Hudson on the Reserve/COVID-19 List Tuesday after all three players tested positive Tuesday morning, NewsNation affiliate WKRN reported.
In a statement, the NFL and the Players Association said, “Both clubs are working closely with the NFL and the NFLPA, including our infectious disease experts, to evaluate close contacts, perform additional testing and monitor developments. All decisions will be made with health and safety as our primary consideration. We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.”
The Vikings released a statement confirming no staff or team member had tested positive as of Tuesday morning and that the team was communicating with the NFL.
“Today the NFL notified us that members of the Tennessee Titans organization have tested positive for COVID-19. As of this morning, we have not received any positive results from Vikings testing following Sunday’s game. Per the NFL protocol, we will suspend in-person club activities and close TCO Performance Center immediately. We will work closely with the NFL and NFLPA to monitor the situation, perform additional testing and determine when the facility can reopen. We will provide further updates regarding this week’s football schedule when appropriate.”
In a statement to NewsNation affiliate WKRN, the Titan’s said the organization will “work remotely” Tuesday, as the team follows NFL protocols related to the virus.
NewsNation obtained the memorandum NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sent to Chief Executives and Club Executives regarding the Titans’ players and staff positive tests.
“This is not unexpected,” Goodell notes in the memo, “as Dr. Sills and others have emphasized, there will be players and staff who will test positive during the season.” Goodell then details all the steps taken after they learned about the positive tests.
The Titans are scheduled to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The Vikings are scheduled to play in Houston against the Texans.
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