Professional sports leagues have all had to formulate plans for how to handle players testing positive for the coronavirus during the season, and the NFL is doing the same.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to an arrangement where a player who tests positive for COVID-19 can immediately be placed on a temporary injured reserve list. There is no limit to how many players can be placed on the list and replaced by practice squad players. Those players will also be able to return as soon as they are cleared.
This Injured Reserve is unlimited and allows the desired and necessary roster flexibility. https://t.co/CThiqlMdBF
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 26, 2020
There’s really no other way to handle positive coronavirus cases once the season begins, so the details shouldn’t be difficult to work out.
All NFL teams will report to training camp by Tuesday after the NFL and NFLPA reached a financial agreement. There will be no preseason games, and players will be tested for COVID-19 every day for at least the first two weeks of camp.
