By Gregory L. Coleman, Staff Reporter
The Tennessee Titans and the Minnesota Vikings both suspended in-person activities at the team facilities after players and staff members tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. This suspension will probably be in effect in Tennessee until Oct. 3, 2020.
The Vikings club will return Thursday, Oct. 1. This news comes a couple of days after the two teams played against each other this past Sunday inside U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota—where the Titans were victorious, winning the game 31-30.
The eight Titan players, who tested positive for the coronavirus, were asymptomatic, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Three of those players- nose tackle DaQuan Jones, long snapper Beau Brinkley, and practice squad tight end Tommy Hudson- were all placed on the reserve COVID-19 list.
The Vikings closed their facilities to take safety precautions, but none of their players tested positive for the novel coronavirus. There are not any reports regarding whether Titans will be able to play the Pittsburgh Steelers this upcoming Sunday, Oct. 4.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish college football team had even worse luck, according to ESPN’s Sam Khan Jr. They have reportedly 18 positive cases of COVID-19. This nationally No.5 ranked team reported the results after a series of 273 tests last week between Tuesday and Saturday. The Irish currently have 25 players in isolation and 14 others in quarantine. When asked the possible reason for the outbreak, Nick Shepkowski of the Fighting Irish Wire, Head Coach Brian Kelly stated:
“Throughout our entire time together, we had not had one meal where we sat down together. Everything was grab and go. We get into our game situation where we have a pregame meal together, and that cost us big. We had somebody who was asymptomatic, and it spread like wildfire throughout our meeting area where we were eating, and then it got guys in contact tracing.”
The Fighting Irish postponed their game on Sept. 26 against Wake Forest. Their next game will be on Oct. 10, as they will take on the Seminoles of Florida State.
The NFL expects to conduct more tests throughout the football season, and there are worries about the impact of COVID-19 on the college football season.
Fans were hoping for the exact opposite, but COVID-19 has affected the football season whether they hoped for it or not.
