The Denver Broncos were forced to play a back-up wide receiver at quarterback on Sunday after their four full-time signal callers were forced into isolation over coronavirus concerns.
The news is the latest development as the NFL faces a growing crisis due to Covid-19.
ESPN reports that the league has fined the New Orleans Saints $500,000 and taken away one of their draft picks after the team failed to wear masks during post-game celebrations when they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this month.
The San Francisco 49ers face potentially larger problems. On Saturday, authorities in Santa Clara county, where the team is based, banned all contact sports until at least 21 December as Covid-19 cases surge and hospitals find themselves stretched to capacity. The team are due to play two home games – against the Buffalo Bills and Washington – in the next few weeks, but may well have to move them. The order also requires anyone entering Santa Clara county to quarantine. The team are currently in Los Angeles to play the Rams.
At the Broncos, starter Drew Lock, backup Brett Rypien and practice squad veteran Blake Bortles were deemed high-risk close contacts with No3 quarterback Jeff Driskel on Wednesday, the day before Driskel tested positive for Covid-19.
According to a source, the four quarterbacks apparently weren’t wearing their masks the whole time they were together as required by the league’s pandemic protocols.
In a statement released Saturday night, the Broncos confirmed reports that Lock, Rypien and Bortles were ordered off the practice field Saturday and into isolation after being identified as high-risk Covid-19 close contacts. The Broncos said the three QBs aren’t experiencing any symptoms and have consistently tested negative for the virus.
The Broncos scrambled to prepare practice squad rookie receiver Kendall Hinton and No3 running back Royce Freeman to share snaps at quarterback for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. Hinton, who had never appeared in a professional game before Sunday, played quarterback for three seasons in college and Freeman is the team’s emergency QB. Hinton started the game and completed just one of nine passes as the Broncos lost 31-3.
The NFL cleared the Broncos to practice on Thanksgiving Day after Driskel tested positive for the virus and again Friday after kick returner Deontae Spencer tested positive along with two staffers. But coach Vic Fangio decided to shut down the building Friday and the team conducted meetings remotely.
Lock, Rypien and Bortles were loosening up before Saturday’s short walkthrough practice when they were pulled off the field and sent home.
They’ll have to quarantine for five days and in order to return next week will have to continue to test negative for Covid-19. The NFL isn’t allowing any teams to gather until Wednesday out of concern the Thanksgiving holiday might have exposed players to infection.
After learning of their situation at quarterback, the Broncos’ brain trust of Fangio, general manager John Elway and team president and CEO Joe Ellis spoke with officials from NFL headquarters.
The league decided not force Denver to forfeit the game or to postpone it as they did with the Steelers-Ravens matchup that was pushed back from Thanksgiving to Sunday and then again to Tuesday night after the Ravens’ outbreak.
A virus outbreak in New England last month forced the Broncos’ game at Gillette Stadium to get pushed back a week and essentially cost Denver their bye week because of the domino effect on the team’s schedule.
In their statement posted on social media Saturday night, the Broncos said they “will continue to work closely with the NFL whenever there is a positive Covid-19 case, including sharing all available information in a thorough and timely manner to ensure the safety of our team.”
The Saints own the league’s second-ranked run defense and last week sacked Falcons QB Matt Ryan eight times, a daunting proposition for anyone who lines up under center on Sunday.
Some Broncos were incredulous about the NFL leaving them without a quarterback Sunday and for not pushing back their game like it did the Steelers-Ravens game, which would have at least given Denver’s makeshift offense a better chance to prepare.
Tight end Noah Fant tweeted, “I’m not one to complain but @NFL y’all can’t possibly send us into a game without a QB. The most important position to an offense. We don’t have got a backup.”
He followed that tweet with this one: “Anyone know if Peyton Manning is busy tomorrow? Laughing but serious.”
Been waiting my whole life for this moment! “Von ELWAY”. Ima passing QB don’t need to run much! Ankle is good for QB pic.twitter.com/Kc3ww0fOkp
— Von Miller (@VonMiller) November 28, 2020
Von Miller, who’s on injured reserve while recovering from ankle surgery, posted a photo on Instagram of him with about to toss a football and wrote, “Been waiting my whole life for this moment! ‘Von ELWAY.’”
Fangio said Saturday morning before the developments at quarterback that there were no new Covid-19 cases and he reiterated that he had no worries about his other QBs getting sick because contract tracing had shown they hadn’t been within 6ft of Driskel before he tested positive.