TAMPA (FL) -- Ndamukong Suh, Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive lineman, did not travel to Houston with the team and was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 roster, the team announced Saturday.
The Texans' third and final preseason game Saturday night will be a good opportunity for starters to get in a lot of action before they play in the NFL Kickoff Game on Wednesday, September 9.
Suh joins kicker Ryan Succop, offensive linemen Nick Leverett, and Earl Watford as the fourth Bucs players to be added to the reserve/COVID-19 roster. Sources told ESPN that all four players have been vaccinated.
Three days ago, Bruce Arians, Bucs coach, announced that he would enforce stricter rules while on vacation. This includes no family visits and no restaurants -- which are permissible activities for individuals who have been vaccinated according to league protocols.
"There are league rules and then there are my rules. We won't be going anywhere. "We're the same as last years," Arians stated Wednesday. I don't care if they are vaccinated. They won't go anywhere."
Florida has one of the highest COVID-19 cases. The Florida Department of Health reported Friday 151,760 new COVID-19 cases. This week's average was 21,680 new infections per days. NFL rules allow teams to use protocols such as mandatory masks indoors in hotspots.
However, Vaccination status can make a big difference in the speed at which a player can return. Unvaccinated players are subject to a 10-day quarantine if they test positive for COVID-19. Vaccinated players must be symptomatic and report two negative results within 24 hours to allow them to return to action.
