According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, this weeks’ contest between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Football Team could be rescheduled to next Tuesday.
This comes after another COVID-headlined day at the office in Washington. QB Taylor Heinicke was placed on the COVID list earlier today, joining backup QB Kyle Allen and forcing the team to acquire Garrett Gilbert as an emergency option.
There are a total of 22 Washington players currently on the reserve list, which is a staggering amount. Regardless of views on the vaccine and virus, it cannot be ignored that after Montez Sweat, unvaccinated, was first diagnosed on December 8th, the speed in which COVID has ripped through the locker room is scary.
The NFL recently flexed its stance on the virus to allow for faster player return. They had no other choice but to do something after several NFL teams found themselves in similar situations as WFT.
This is obviously disappointing from the standpoint of a competitive advantage, but it’s absolutely the right call given that player safety should be the leagues’ priority. Not ratings, not playoff seeing, not anything else. The safety of their athletes have to come first.
We don’t yet know if the Eagles will be able to play on Sunday, but a Tuesday night game would also allow Philadelphia, coming off a bye, more time to calmly prepare while Washington scramble around to try and field a mildly competent team.
Not only that, but it gives questionable players more time to potentially return to full health. Jalen Hurts is nursing a high ankle sprain and will be questionable for the matchup, while running backs Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders are also on the report, with the former facing a more significant injury. That extra two days could be crucial in terms of getting those players back.
Buckle up, this weekend is about to get bumpy.
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
