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By GEORGE HENRY, AP Sports activities Author
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons shut their facility Thursday following one new optimistic check for COVID-19. The group stays scheduled to play at Minnesota on Sunday.
Defensive sort out Marlon Davidson was positioned on the COVID-19/reserve checklist this week, and the addition of a second unidentified individual brought about the Falcons to behave out of warning. All group exercise can be completed nearly.
“This resolution was made in session with the NFL and medical officers,” the group stated in a press release. “The well being and security of our group is our highest precedence.”
The Falcons’ resolution follows outbreaks with the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots.
The Falcons (0-5) fired coach Dan Quinn and normal supervisor Thomas Dimitroff final Sunday evening, and Raheem Morris was named interim coach.
“Proper now, on this new COVID world, there’s loads of issues that come up in that world each single day,” Morris stated Tuesday. “You simply need to cope with that on a regular basis.”
Davidson was the second Atlanta participant to be positioned on the COVID 19/reserve checklist in-season. Rookie cornerback A.J. Terrell missed two video games earlier than returning for final week’s house loss to Carolina.
Protocols had been elevated on the Falcons’ observe Wednesday.
“We undoubtedly had completely different conferences in the present day, utterly digital,” quarterback Matt Ryan stated after observe. “We had been all in separate rooms and in our personal house. Even in observe, (shields) on our helmets. I believe we’re doing every thing we are able to to maintain it at bay and do the perfect we are able to underneath the rules we’ve been given.”
The NFL is making an attempt to play a full schedule amid the pandemic with out groups remoted in a bubble as different sports activities have completed to guard gamers and workers from the virus. No video games had been affected via the primary three weeks of the season, however the schedules of 9 groups have since been disrupted.
Tennessee had essentially the most severe outbreak with 24 checks returned, together with 13 gamers.
The league stated this week it’s going to start PCR testing for COVID-19 on sport days starting Sunday. The usage of masks in walk-throughs is now obligatory, and solely play-callers can be permitted to put on face shields in lieu of masks or gaiters on the sideline.
The up to date protocols despatched to groups Monday evening additionally require anybody recognized as a “excessive danger” shut contact to be remoted and never permitted to return to the group’s facility for at the least 5 days.
Falcons security Ricardo Allen stated the group was watching intently to make sure gamers adopted protocols Wednesday.
“I believe everyone even has the brand new little masks factor on each helmet,” he stated. “They guarantee that they’ve heightened every thing. They guarantee that they know everyone seems to be conscious even when they catch you along with your masks down just a little bit, they’ll ensure you transfer it up.”
The Falcons had seven gamers check optimistic throughout coaching camp. All later returned.
Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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