With the increase of positive tests, and the daily positive test record continuing to be broken (right now it’s at 51 in one day), the NFL has adjusted its COVID protocols, including increasing testing.
Three games in Week 15 were even postponed to Monday and Tuesday. The Browns faced the Raiders on Monday (originally intended for Saturday); the Washington Football Team vs. the Eagles and the Rams vs. the Seahawks games were moved to Tuesday.
MORE: NFL power rankings for Week 16
The start of Week 16 saw the most positive cases in one day so far during the pandemic. Sporting News has the list of all the players who’ve entered protocols since the beginning of Week 16:
NFL players in league COVID protocols
Listed players reflect only official team rosters as of 7:00 p.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 20.
Arizona Cardinals (one player)
C Rodney Hudson
Atlanta Falcons (four players)
OLB Emmanuel Ellerbee LB Quinton Bell DB Cornell Armstrong DT Marlon Davidson
Baltimore Ravens (11 players)
C Trystan Colon S Chuck Clark WR Sammy Watkins CB Chris Westry CB Jimmy Smith LB Justin Houston LB Pernell McPhee WR Jaylon Moore RB Nate McCrary WR Binjimen Victor TE Josh Oliver
Buffalo Bills (seven players)
LB Tyrel Dodson T Dion Dawkins OL Jon Feliciano DE A. J. Epenesa WR Cole Beasley OL Cody Ford WR Gabriel Davis
Carolina Panthers (four players)
RB Christian McCaffrey QB Matt Barkley DT Derrick Brown G Dennis Daley G Pat Elflein
Chicago Bears (16 players)
OL Larry Borom DB Artie Burns WR Isaiah Coulter QB Andy Dalton DL Mario Edwards Jr. LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe DB Eddie Jackson TE Jesse James LB Sam Kamara RB Ryan Nall WR Allen Robinson II DB Duke Shelley CB Jaylon Johnson DB Tashaun Gipson Sr. DB DeAndre Houston-Carson DT Akiem Hicks
Cincinnati Bengals (two players)
LB Clay Johnston DB Chidobe Awuzie
Cleveland Browns (19 players)
S Grant Delpit LB Tony Fields II G Drew Forbes P Jamie Gillan S Ronnie Harrison Jr. CB Troy Hill TE Austin Hooper RB Kareem Hunt DT Malik McDowell LB Jacob Phillips T Jedrick Wills LB Mack Wilson RT James Hudson DE Jadeveon Clowney WR JoJo Natson TE Ross Travis C J. C. Tretter DT Jordan Elliott K Chase McLaughlin
Dallas Cowboys (three players)
DT Trysten Hill DT Osa Odighizuwa DB Malik Hooker
Denver Broncos (four players)
RB Mike Boone DB P. J. Locke WR Seth Williams C Lloyd Cushenberry
Detroit Lions (12 players)
DB Jalen Elliott DB Nickell Robey-Coleman LB Alex Anzalone WR Quintez Cephus QB Jared Goff T Matt Nelson DB Corey Ballentine LB Tavante Beckett DB Ifeatu Melifonwu DB Tracy Walker DB Bobby Price WR Trinity Benson
Green Bay Packers (one player)
NT Kenny Clark
Houston Texans (22 players)
C Justin McCray LB Kamu Grugier-Hill LB Christian Kirksey DB A. J. Moore DE DeMarcus Walker DB Terrance Brooks DB Terrance Mitchell OL Lane Taylor DE Jonathan Greenard DT Malick Collins DE Jacob Martin DE Derek Rivers DB Cre’Von LeBlanc WR Jaylen Samuel WR Danny Amendola C Justin Britt T Tytus Howard DE Jordan Jenkins DB Lonnie Johnson DT Roy Lopez DB Eric Murray DE DeMarcus Walker
Indianapolis Colts (six players)
LB Zaire Franklin G Mark Glowinski LB Darius Leonard G Quenton Nelson WR Zach Pascal S Khari Willis
Jacksonville Jaguars (three players)
DE Josh Allen OL Ben Bartch WR Laviska Shenault
Kansas City Chiefs (10 players)
TE Travis Kelce K Harrison Butker DB Charvarius Ward WR Gehrig Dieter LB Willie Gay WR Josh Gordon TE Joe Fortson WR Tyreek Hill CB Rashad Fenton TE Blake Bell
Las Vegas Raiders (four players)
DB Nate Hobbs DB Trayvon Mullen G Jermaine Eluemunor Roderic Teamer
Los Angeles Chargers (nine players)
LT Rashawn Slater G/C Scott Quessenberry LB Joey Bosa DB Tevaughn Campbell DB Kemon Hall C Corey Linsley DB Trey Marshall WR Andre Roberts LB Chris Rumph
Los Angeles Rams (25 players)
CB Jalen Ramsey OT Rob Havenstein OT Joseph Noteboom CB Robert Rochell DB Terrell Burgess DB JuJu Hughes NT Sebastian Joseph-Day S Jordan Fuller TE Johnny Mundt T Tremayne Anchrum Jr. DB Antoine Brooks Jr. DB Jake Gervase LB Von Miller LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo DB Kareem Orr LB Christian Rozeboom RB Jake Funk TE Tyler Higbee DB Grant Haley LB Justin Lawler OL Bobby Evans LB Troy Reeder DB Tyler Hall TE Jared Pinkney DL Jonah Williams
Miami Dolphins (seven players)
RB Phillip Lindsay WR Jaylen Waddle DB Justin Coleman RB Gerrid Doaks TE Cethan Carter C Greg Mancz LB Duke Riley
Minnesota Vikings (eight players)
RB Alexander Mattison WR DeDe Westbrook WR Dan Chisena DE Danielle Hunter RB A. J. Rose Jr. OG Kyle Hinton WR Trishton Jackson RB Dalvin Cook
New England Patriots (seven players)
OT Yasir Durant RB J. J. Taylor TE Dalton Keene WR Kendrick Bourne LB Harvey Langi LB Cameron McGrone DE Ronnie Perkins
New Orleans Saints (nine players, head coach)
HC Sean Payton G James Carpenter LB Kaden Elliss DB Jeff Heath QB Taysom Hill DE Jalyn Holmes DB Malcom Jenkins T Jordan Mills DT Christian Ringo QB Trevor Siemian
New York Giants (12 players)
WR Kadarius Toney WR John Ross LB Cam Brown LB Oshane Ximines CB Aaron Robinson DB Adoree’ Jackson DB J. R. Reed DB Natrell Jamerson DB Keion Crossen QB Daniel Jones WR Sterling Shepard DB Xavier McKinney
New York Jets (11 players)
DB Justin Hardee WR Elijah Moore LB Hamsah Nasirildeen WR Jeff Smith DE John Franklin-Myers DB Sharrod Neasman LB Blake Cashman G Alijah Vera-Tucker CB Michael Carter II G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif QB Joe Flacco
Philadelphia Eagles (three players)
G Landon Dickerson T Andre Dillard DE Ryan Kerrigan
Pittsburgh Steelers (three players)
DE Montravius Adams DB Linden Stephens RB Anthony McFarland
Seattle Seahawks (eight players)
RB Alex Collins WR Tyler Lockett CB D. J. Reed RT Brandon Shell RB Travis Homer DE Kerry Hyder Jr. NT Bryan Mone T Jamarco Jones
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (five players)
WR Breshad Perriman WR Jaelon Darden LB Lavonte David RB Leonard Fournette DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches
Tennessee Titans (five players)
WR Dez Fitzpatrick S Jamal Carter DB Chris Jackson DB Elijah Molden T Kendall Lamm
Washington Football Team (12 players)
QB Kyle Allen DT Matt Ioannidis S Darrick Forrest OT Cornelius Lucas DE William Bradley-King DB Kendall Fuller RB Wendell Smallwood DB Kamren Curl C Tyler Larsen OG Brandon Scherff LB Khaleke Hudson K Joey Slye
MORE: New NFL COVID protocols, explained
NFL COVID vaccine rules
Here is the COVID protocol for vaccinated players, according to the NFL:
Vaccinated individuals who test positive and are asymptomatic will be isolated and contact tracing will promptly occur. The positive individual will be permitted to return to duty after two negative tests at least 24-hours apart. After that, they will be tested every week or as directed by the medical staff. Vaccinated individuals will not be subject to quarantine as a result of close contact with an infected person.
The main difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated players is that vaccinated players don’t have to worry about being a “high-risk” close contact at any point. They also have more freedom to participate in activities than their unvaccinated counterparts. Vaccinated players can go out on the road and more easily spend time with teammates outside the facility, among other perks.
What is NFL’s COVID protocol for unvaccinated players?
The NFL’s COVID protocols are stricter than those for vaccinated players. They are as follows, per the NFL:
If an unvaccinated person tests positive, the protocols from 2020 will remain in effect. The person will be isolated for a period of 10 days and will then be permitted to return to duty if asymptomatic. Unvaccinated individuals will continue to be subject to a five-day quarantine period if they have close contact with an infected individual.
Unvaccinated players also have more procedures they must follow to avoid falling into COVID protocol. They include the following:
Unvaccinated individuals must be tested for COVID every day at the team facility. If a player misses even one day of testing, they will be required to test negative for COVID for five straight days before re-entering the facility. That’s what happened to Cam Newton before the final week of the Patriots’ preseason. Unvaccinated free agents must also test negative for five consecutive days before being allowed to enter a team facility. Unvaccinated players must wear masks at all times in the facility. They cannot gather in groups larger than three players and on the road “are prohibited from congregating, visiting or mingling with individuals outside of the traveling party once they have arrived in the game city. " Unvaccinated individuals are subject to fines if they break COVID protocols. This can include anything from failing to wear a mask in the facility or going to an indoor concert or house party with more than 15 people.
When is a player considered fully vaccinated?
The NFL considers a player fully vaccinated if they fall into one of the two following categories: They either are 14 days removed from their final dose of Pfizer, Moderna or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or they previously contracted COVID and are 14 days removed from a single dose of any vaccine.
MORE: NFL players sound off on postponements amid COVID outbreak
Will the NFL postpone games because of COVID?
The NFL has left the door open for potential postponements. That said, the league has said that “postponements will only occur if required by government authorities, medical experts, or at the commissioner’s discretion.”
Of course, the NFL has also said that it’s hoping to play its full, 272-game schedule “in a safe and responsible way,” so it seems likely that the league will consider postponements where appropriate.
However, the NFL has noted that the burden of postponements or cancellations will fall upon teams featuring COVID spikes among unvaccinated players. If outbreaks occur among vaccinated players, the league will seek to “minimize the burden” of that club.
What does that mean? If a team has an outbreak that impacts unvaccinated players, they’re less likely to get a favorable ruling from the NFL. So, they may be forced to play significantly shorthanded or at a less convenient time.
The NFL also has stated that if a game cannot be rescheduled within its 18-week season due to a COVID outbreak amid non-vaccinated players, the team with the outbreak will be forced to forfeit.
Additionally, the league said that “games will not be postponed or rescheduled simply to avoid roster issues caused by injury or illness affecting multiple players, even within a position group.” That principle was in action last year, and the Broncos were the best example of it in action. They had to play with practice squad receiver Kendall Hinton as their quarterback after their quarterback room was exposed to the virus.
Will the NFL add an extra week because of COVID postponements?
No, it’s not planning to. The NFL confirmed that they are hoping not to extend the regular season past 18 weeks (17 games and one bye).
Perhaps the NFL will change its tune if COVID becomes a bigger issue than the league anticipates, but for now, don’t expect the league to add another week to the season.
Jake Aferiat contributed to this article.
