The NFL’s new reserve/COVID-19 list was put into practice for the first time on Sunday as six players were placed on it by various teams.
Four of the six players listed are undrafted rookies who were set to compete for roster spots in training camp. Dontrell Hilliard, a running back who has seen limited action in two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, is the only player on the list to have previously appeared in an NFL regular season game. The Browns are also the only team to list more than one player.
Six NFL players have been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, per today’s transaction wire: pic.twitter.com/arAFUvJaAM
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 26, 2020
Placement on the reserve/COVID-19 list means a player has either tested positive or has come into close contact with an infected individual and required to quarantine. There is no limit to how many players can be placed on the list, and the players will be allowed to return to action immediately upon receiving the necessary medical clearance. Clubs are only required to publicly disclose the player’s current roster status, and are not permitted to announce whether placement on the list is due to a positive test or close contact with an infected individual.
The announcement comes two days before training camp is scheduled to open across the league. New NFL protocols dictate that players must test negative for COVID-19 twice before being allowed to enter team facilities, and will continue to be tested daily for at least the first two weeks of camp.
