The NFL, like basically every other entity on earth right now, is dealing with a spike in COVID cases. The last week has been a seemingly never-ending stream of announcements that players are getting positive tests as part of the league’s COVID protocols, and as a result, the league had to come up with a way to move around its Week 15 schedule.
According to multiple media reports, three games involving a trio of teams that are in the midst of major COVID outbreaks are getting moved. Because of Cleveland’s team-wide COVID outbreak, the Browns’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders that was supposed to take place on Saturday will now be played on Monday, per NFL reporter Josina Anderson.
The #Raiders at #Browns game is being postponed to Monday, per league source.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 17, 2021
A report indicates that Raiders want this to be a straight-up forfeit due to the outbreak, but the NFL’s COVID protocols say that is only the case if an outbreak occurs due to unvaccinated players testing positive.
Washington and the Los Angeles Rams are likewise dealing with COVID outbreaks, and reports say their games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks, respectively, will not be played on Sunday as originally anticipated.
Looks like all three of these games in question are being moved
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) December 17, 2021
As of this writing, there is no word on exactly when those two games will take place, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the league is aiming for Tuesday for both teams.
NFL now discussing switching Seahawks at Rams to Tuesday, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2021
WFT at Philly now could be played Tuesday, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2021
Prior to this week, the NFL did not have to move around any games during the 2021 season because of COVID, something that it had to do on several occasions last year.
