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The number of positive COVID-19 tests on Monday is unusual, and the NFL and the NFL Players Association are considering changes to their COVID protocols.
Sources told Adam that the league had 37 positive tests on Monday. The numbers tend to be higher on Mondays because most teams test their players and personnel once a week, unlike unvaccinated players who test daily. The league only had 72 positive tests in a two-week period from November 14 to November 27.
The Atlanta Falcons, the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings, the Houston Texans and the Chicago Bears have entered the league's enhanced COVID protocols, according to one source.
The Tier 3 employee who had limited contact with other members of the organization was the positive case of the Omicron variant in Washington.
All players and personnel should be tested daily regardless of their vaccine status, as a means of identifying and tracking cases earlier and preventing spread in team facilities, according to the NFLPA. The league has resisted the union's calls for daily testing, saying resources can be better directed at different parts of the COVID fight and that daily testing could lead to a false sense of security and less strict adherence to the other protocols.
It's not clear what changes the league and union might make to their protocols, as those discussions were just beginning after Monday's news. The league and union put in place stricter measures for the week that followed Thanksgiving, expecting a surge in positive cases.
