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By GETHIN COOLBAUGH, Related Press
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots activated quarterback Cam Newton from the NFL’s COVID-19 reserve record on Wednesday.
Newton is anticipated to observe with the workforce on Thursday, which possible would result in his beginning on Sunday in opposition to Denver.
New England was 2-1 with Newton as its starter, then misplaced at Kansas Metropolis when he was sidelined after testing optimistic for the coronavirus. Newton had examined optimistic for the coronavirus on Oct. 2.
Three Patriots stay on the COVID-19 reserve record: cornerback Stephon Gilmore, defensive sort out Byron Cowart and observe squad DT Invoice Murray. Gilmore was the 2019 NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr.
New England gamers say they’ve discovered an ally in coach Invoice Belichick amid rising native criticism of the NFL’s dealing with of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Belichick’s method to the virus outbreak inside the partitions of Gillette Stadium has earned him reward from these within the Patriots’ locker room as they navigate the stops and re-starts of this uncommon NFL season.
“Invoice has completed an excellent job of (saying), ‘Hey, that is endlessly sort of altering, it’s very fluid,’” Patriots security Devin McCourty stated. “However as soon as we get it, (he says) ‘That is what we’ve received, that is what we’re gonna do,’ and I feel all of us have simply sort of (fallen) in line.”
New England gamers returned to the workforce’s services on Wednesday for the primary time since collaborating in a walk-through Saturday to arrange for his or her now twice-postponed sport in opposition to Denver. After a fourth optimistic COVID-19 check final Sunday, the NFL rescheduled the sport with the Broncos — initially set for Sunday, however bumped to Monday after a handful of optimistic assessments final week — to this coming Sunday.
Devin’s brother, Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty, was amongst those that voiced their displeasure with the league and its gamers’ union final week, claiming “they don’t care” in regards to the well-being of gamers over revenue.
“When he speaks, it’s from speaking to quite a lot of totally different individuals — clearly with the (gamers affiliation), however I’d say most significantly the blokes in our locker room,” Devin McCourty stated.
He added, “I feel the most important factor he stated was the blokes within the locker room, the blokes within the group, coaches, gamers — that’s what it’s about. It’s us conserving one another secure. It’s laborious to think about individuals exterior of our constructing are gonna care extra about our security. I feel that’s only a widespread sense thought.”
New England’s services have been shut down final week from Wednesday by means of Friday, and one other optimistic check stored the workforce away till this Wednesday, when gamers have been allowed to return in restricted numbers for exercises.
“Figuring out that tomorrow was unknown as to after we would get again, it’s a problem — however I feel that’s simply all about being a professional,” security Adrian Phillips stated. “While you get to the league … you’re gonna have some obstacles that you need to overcome, and that is simply a kind of obstacles.”
As soccer plans stay in flux, Belichick has continued to make his gamers a precedence, his gamers say.
“He’s been nice,” operating again Rex Burkhead stated. “He actually has simply put our security, our household’s security first, and he’s been in fixed communication with us on doing no matter he can or regardless of the workforce can to place in issues in place to maintain us secure.”
In what was initially set as their bye week, the Patriots plan to carry their first observe on Thursday, barring further virus-related setbacks.
“With this season, you had an understanding from the get-go that issues can continuously change. Something might occur,” Burkhead stated. “So my mindset was sort of simply keep right here, do what I can to arrange myself mentally, bodily, every time our sport was going to be performed.”
For now, the Patriots and Broncos expect that day to be Sunday.
“We’re all coping with the identical factor with every part that’s occurring on this world,” left sort out Isaiah Wynn stated. “You’ve simply received to maintain focusing, maintain trying ahead to the duty at hand, which is the Broncos. We’re simply full-fledged and targeted on that.”
Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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