On Tuesday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers placed running back Christian McCaffrey on the reserve/COVID-19 list. This announcement came just minutes after NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that the All-Pro rusher tested positive for the virus.
#Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey, on IR and out for the season, tested positive for COVID-19, source said. Another NFL big name.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 14, 2021
McCaffrey, who will not return to play for the remainder of the 2021 season, is also currently on the injured reserve. In addition to this latest setback to his ankle, sustained in the Week 12 loss to the Miami Dolphins, a strained hamstring earlier in the campaign kept him sidelined for five games.
With the holidays approaching, experts warn of a winter surge of the pandemic across America. Per The New York Times, the United States is now averaging more than 120,000 cases a day, a 49-percent increase compared to two weeks ago.
The news comes as 37 players tested positive for the virus Monday, with 25 additional positives expected on Tuesday. To combat this, the NFL announced that it will mandate Tier 1 and 2 employees to receive COVID-19 vaccine boosters by Dec. 27th.
However, critics are still concerned about the NFL’s protocols for its players, which have steadily become more relaxed as the season progresses. The NFLPA has called for a return to daily testing for all players regardless of vaccination status, and many have urged the league to crack down on players attempting to use fake vaccine cards to avoid protocols—an issue brought to light when Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Antonio Brown and two other players were suspended without pay for three games for doing just that.
The Panthers, in two more moves on the day, activated guard Trent Scott from the reserve/COVID-19 list and waived tight end Colin Thompson.
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