Tag: testing

Deonte Harris says he’s cleared from NFL’s COVID-19 protocol

All-Pro New Orleans Saints punt returner Deonte Harris announced on Twitter that he has been cleared from the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list.

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Here’s some good news: New Orleans Saints wide receiver Deonte Harris announced on Twitter that he is no longer designated to the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list, meaning that he has twice tested negative for an infection per league protocol.

The second-year pro out of Assumption College will rejoin his team and look to repeat his breakout performance as a rookie in 2019, which earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl and recognition on the AP All-Pro roster.

Because the NFL maintains confidentiality for players and coaches during COVID-19 testing, it’s unclear why Harris was placed on the list to begin with. He may have registered a false positive test or been in contact with someone who was infection, but it’s all speculation. What’s clear at this point is that he is healthy and ready to return to work.

Hopefully the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol will hold up during the regular season, which is set to begin in a matter of weeks. A recent breakthrough in testing is promising, but it remains to be seen when or how the NFL will implement it. For now, many Saints players and team employees are sequestered at a New Orleans hotel throughout training camp in an attempt at limiting their contact with others, lowering the risk of infection.

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NCAA Chief Medical Officer gives grim outlook for college football

NCAA Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline went on CNN to detail why college football may not happen in the fall.

The Big 12, ACC and SEC are the three remaining conferences hoping to play college football this season. While they have decided to move forward, there are still obstacles left that could hinder a fall football season. Shortly after midnight on CNN the NCAA Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline spoke about the outlook for college football.

Our colleagues at the Fighting Irish Wire laid out what Hainline said on air while the world was sleeping.

“The pathway to play sports is so exceedingly narrow right now. Everything would have to line up perfectly.”

“If testing stays as it is, there’s no way we could go forward with sports.”

Added the greater risk is regular students resocializing on campuses. Says that could be “the downfall” if schools can’t handle that.

As we have stated time and time again, the NCAA actually holds zero power or leverage over FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) or Division I as some refer to it. The power all lies in the hands of the conference commissioners like Greg Sankey (SEC) and Bob Bowlsby (Big 12). Clint Lamb of Roll Tide Wire recently tweeted about this happening.

Lamb isn’t the only one to say this as Barrett Sallee of CBS Sports also said that you should expect “sources” to try and wreck the season.

While the schools and conferences in the southern part of the United States are attempting to move forward with football, it seems everyone else wants to stop it. Maybe due to the fact that if a college football season is indeed played, they don’t want to look bad because they called it off to early.

This is always a fluid situation so stay tuned as we keep you updated.

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Pete Carroll confident Seahawks will be playing football games in 2020

Based on the success of the COVID-19 testing so far, coach Pete Carroll is confident the Seahawks will be playing football games this fall.

Fans around the country are anxiously waiting to hear whether or not professional football will be played this fall in spite of the coronavirus pandemic. With a number of college conferences already postponing or canceling their seasons, the angst is very real for most people.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll – always the eternal optimist – is confident his team will be taking the field in September.

“I think we’re going to make it to the games,” Carroll told Dave “Softy” Mahler and Dick Fain of 950 KJR Radio on Thursday. “This format that we’re in – we’re trying to do a great job, we’re counting on everybody else to do a great job, too. We’ve gone almost two full weeks now and we know how to do that, so if we just can take it one day at a time and everybody’s doing the same thing, then the games are rolling.”

Only one Seahawk has been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list so far, but John Ursua’s test turned out to be a false positive in the end.

If the Seahawks can keep doing what they are doing to stay safe and negative for the coronavirus, Carroll just might be right about football games being played this season after all.

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Texans continue to report negative daily COVID-19 tests

The Houston Texans continue to report negative COVID-19 tests on a daily basis.

The Houston Texans are still on a winning streak, one that could determine their success when the regular season starts.

According to coach and general manager Bill O’Brien, the Texans have yet to log one positive COVID-19 test since NFL teams were allowed to open training camp. It isn’t just the players and coaches who are being tested every day, but staffers as well, up to 180 people total.

“So far, knock on wood, we’ve had zero positive tests, which is really good, especially with what is going on in Houston,” O’Brien said via the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson at his press conference before practice.

What is remarkable about the Texans’ streak is the team is located in a purported “hot spot” with infection rates on the rise in Texas and particularly Houston. What is also amazing is the Texans haven’t been duped by any false positives, as what happened with the Detroit Lions’ Matthew Stafford.

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Seahawks players wearing masks while preparing for the 2020 season

The Seattle Seahawks are wearing masks on the practice field and in their training facility as they prepare for the 2020 NFL season.

 

The Seattle Seahawks are wearing masks at their team headquarters in Renton while practicing for the 2020 NFL season.

The team’s official Twitter account has documented this, showcasing the events taking place on the practice field and in the facility.

Washington state governor Jay Inslee took notice and praised the organization while encouraging the state’s residents to wear masks whenever possible to curb the spread of COVID-19, which has been raging for months and has spurred the NFL to conduct daily testing on players.

With over 5 million cases of the virus reported in the United States, coach Pete Carroll stressed that teams around the league should take the situation seriously.

“This is a very treacherous thing that everybody is dealing with,” Carroll said in his virtual press conference last week., “and we have to have good fortune along the way, as well as great discipline.”

Wide receiver John Ursua became the first Seahawks player to be put on the Reserve/COVID-19 list and has now tested negative for the virus, but he will need to continue to comply with daily testing and receive negative results multiple times before he can return to team activities.

The Seahawks and all other NFL teams face a precarious situation as they try to avoid COVID-19 while preparing for the 2020 season.

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John Ursua is 1st Seahawk to land on Reserve/COVID-19 list

Second-year wide receiver John Ursua is the first Seattle Seahawk to land on the NFL’s Reserve/COVID-19 list.

The Seattle Seahawks were almost able to make it two weeks without a player landing on the NFL’s Reserve/COVID-19 list but that all changed Sunday when second-year receiver, John Ursua, was named on the official transaction wire.

Because of privacy concerns, teams are not allowed to discuss the specifics of a player’s test or medical status, the list simply indicates that Ursua has either tested positive for the coronavirus or has been directly exposed to someone who has.

Ursua can later be removed from the list after meeting the league’s protocols for testing negative. He does not currently count towards the Seahawks 80-man roster at this time.

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SEC announces COVID-19 testing and face mask protocols for Fall sports

On Friday, the SEC announced the new protocols regarding COVID testing and face masks for Fall Sports.

On Friday, the SEC announced the new protocols regarding COVID testing and face masks for Fall Sports.

This has been an area of focus that the task force has been meeting regularly about to try and come up with a solution that not only kept players safe, but also tried to keep Fall sports from having to be cancelled.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey shared in a news release that,

“Our Medical Task Force is producing an effective strategy for testing and monitoring, which complements the vigilant day-to-day efforts of our campuses to establish and maintain healthy environments in which our student-athletes can train and compete. Our health experts have guided us though each stage of preparation for the safe return of activity and, together with the medical staffs embedded within our athletics programs, we will continue to monitor developments around the virus and evolve our plan to meet the health needs of our student-athletes.”

Here are a list of new protocols and rules regarding testing and face masks that the SEC will enforce this fall:

TESTING

  • The SEC will coordinate centralized testing through a third-party provider to ensure consistency in surveillance and pre-competition testing. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the current standard testing method for the COVID-19 virus. Alternative testing methods may be considered if sufficient data develops to support those methods.

  • In the sport of football, student-athletes and others in direct contact with the program will receive a PCR surveillance test at least twice weekly during competition, typically six days and three days prior to competition. The Task Force recommends exploring alternative testing methods that will accommodate a third test, in addition to the two required PCR tests, that will provide for the reliability and rapid response necessary for diagnostic testing in a timeframe closer to competition.

  • In the sports of volleyball and soccer, student-athletes and others in direct contact with the program will receive a PCR surveillance test at least twice weekly during competition, with one to occur three days prior to the first competition of the week. The Task Force recommends exploring alternative testing methods that will accommodate a third test, in addition to the two required PCR tests, that will provide for the reliability and rapid response necessary for diagnostic testing in a timeframe closer to the first competition of the week.

  • In the sport of cross country, student-athletes and others in direct contact with the program will receive a PCR surveillance test at least once per week during competition, with that test to occur three days prior to each competition.

MASKING

  • In football, volleyball and soccer, all coaches, staff and non-competing personnel will be required to wear face coverings on the sideline and physical distancing will be employed to the extent possible.

  • In cross country, competing student-athletes are required to wear a face covering at the starting line, which may be removed when proper distancing has been achieved. Coaches and staff associated with cross country competition are expected to utilize social distancing to the extent possible and will be required to wear a face covering during pre- and post-competition.

GAME BALLS

  • Other than the game officials and participants, any individuals who will or may touch the
    game balls (i.e., footballs, soccer balls or volleyballs) during competition shall be PCR tested
    weekly, adhere to appropriate hand washing/hand sanitizing protocols and wear a face
    covering. Game balls that leave the competition area must be disinfected according to the
    ball manufacturer’s guidelines, prior to re-entering play.

The 12 page document from the SEC also goes over how individual Fall sports will conduct each game/competition.

The SEC also announced that each University will have a  COVID-19 Protocol Oversight Officer who is in charge of education and compliance regarding the new protocols.

Roll Tide Wire will keep you up to date with the very latest!

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LOOK: The 67 NFL players who have opted out of the 2020 season

Here’s a look at the 67 NFL players who have opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

Thursday marked the deadline for NFL players choosing to opt out of the 2020 season due to coronavirus concerns.

Below is a look at the 67 players who will not be participating this year, per the USA TODAY’s tracker.

Guard Chance Warmack was the only Seattle Seahawk to make the list.

Arizona Cardinals

OT Marcus Gilbert

Baltimore Ravens

OT Andre Smith, WR/KR De’Anthony Thomas

Buffalo Bills

CB E.J. Gaines, DT Star Lotulelei

Carolina Panthers

LB Jordan Mack, LB Christian Miller

Chicago Bears

DT Eddie Goldman, S Jordan Lucas

Cincinnati Bengals

OT Isaiah Prince, DT Josh Tupou

Cleveland Browns

DT Andrew Billings, OT Drake Dorbeck, OT Drew Forbes, G Colby Gossett, G Malcolm Pridgeon

Dallas Cowboys

CB Maurice Canady, WR Stephen Guidry, FB Jamize Olawale

Denver Broncos

OT Ja’Wuan James, DT Kyle Peko

Detroit Lions

WR Geronimo Allison, C Russell Bodine, DT John Atkins

Green Bay Packers

WR Devin Funchess

Houston Texans

DT Eddie Vanderdoes

Indianapolis Colts

S Rolan Milligan, LB Skai Moore, CB Marvell Tell

Las Vegas Raiders

LB Ukeme Eligwe, DB D.J. Killings, DE Jeremiah Valoaga

Los Angeles Rams

G Chandler Brewer

Jacksonville Jaguars

CB Rashaad Melvin, DE Lerentee McCray, DT Al Woods

Kansas City Chiefs

G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OT Lucas Niang, RB Damien Williams

Miami Dolphins

WR Allen Hurns, WR Albert Wilson

Minnesota Vikings

DT Michael Pierce

New England Patriots

RB Brandon Bolden, OT Marcus Cannon, S Patrick Chung, LB Dont’a Hightower, TE Matt LaCosse, WR Marqise Lee, G Najee Toran, FB Danny Vitale

TE Jason Vander Laan, TE Cole Wick

New York Giants

CB Sam Beal, OT Nate Solder, WR Da’Mari Scott

New York Jets

WR Josh Doctson, C Leo Koloamatangi, LB C.J. Mosley

Philadelphia Eagles

WR Marquise Goodwin

San Francisco 49ers

C Jake Brendel, OT Shon Coleman, WR Travis Benjamin

Seattle Seahawks

G Chance Warmack

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

OT Brad Seaton

Tennessee Titans

OT Anthony McKinney

Washington Football Team

DE Caleb Brantley, LB Josh Harvey-Clemons

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Report: Former Seahawk Ziggy Ansah going through physical with 49ers

Former Seattle Seahawks defensive end, Ziggy Ansah, is currently going through a physical and COVID-19 with the San Francisco 49ers.

A former member of the Seattle Seahawks might be staying in the NFC West this season after all. Defensive end Ziggy Ansah is currently going through a physical with the division-rival San Francisco 49ers, accourding to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

“This is interesting: Former Seahawks pass-rusher and current free agent Ziggy Ansah is going through a physical and COVID-19 testing with the 49ers, sources say,” Rapoport tweeted on Tuesday. “Nothing is done, but SF gets a first look at a potentially high-end edge talent.”

Ansah spent one season in Seattle and logged just 10 solo tackles, six assists and 2.5 sacks on the year.

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Seahawks have successful start to camp, no positive COVID-19 tests

The Seattle Seahawks have been one of only a dozen or so other clubs that have yet to have a player test positive for COVID-19 in camp.

The Seattle Seahawks have been one of the more fortunate teams around the league this summer, joining only a dozen or so other clubs that have yet to have a player test positive for COVID-19.

Coach Pete Carroll was asked about the Seahawks’ success so far during a Zoom press conference Monday afternoon.

“We’re really pleased with the start,” Carroll told reporters. “Really absolutely pleased we did everything we could have done in the quarantine week. There’s a lot that goes into that, but it was trying to win the week really, so we competed our way through it, and I feel like we did that. As far as moving forward, what’s happening right now is we’re trying to get everything in motion so that we can operate at a really high level of taking care of our guys. We don’t want to leave any stone unturned of what it takes to make sure our guys are safe.”

Players spent the first week of camp undergoing COVID-19 testing, with three negative tests required before entering the team facility. While some players have been living at home, quite a few have been staying at a local hotel since the start of camp.

Monday marked the first day the team could take the field – in a limited capacity, however – and Carroll wants to make sure he and his players are doing so carefully.

“We’re in a ramp-up period just getting started,” Carroll said “We won’t be practicing like we like to practice for days ahead here, but at this time at least we’re on the field and we’re getting going and we’re starting to make the process come to life. We’re off to a really good start with our guys. One of the big emphasis to get rolling here was coming in under quarantine mentality, and we’re very fortunate that we tested our way through it and we had very good results.”

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