Patriots
“It’s a very tough time just staying at home, so just protect yourself as much as you can.”
When Matthew Judon took the podium for his Patriots media appearance on Wednesday, he did so wearing a mask—the first time he’s done so all season.
Judon revealed over the summer that he is vaccinated, meaning he hasn’t been required to mask at New England’s facilities. But the COVID outbreak ripping through the NFL likely had something to do with the abundance of caution.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced Tuesday night that 75 players across the league have landed on the NFL’s Reserve/COVID-19 list in the last two days. The Cleveland Browns and Washington Football Team alone have placed more than 30 players each on the list, including Browns starting quarterback Baker Mayfield.
That’s why Judon made sure to impart a public message to his squad as the team prepares for its game on Saturday night against the Colts.
“All we can say as leaders or anybody is just protect yourself,” he said. “If you’re going outside, please wear a mask. Try not to spend time at places that you really don’t have to. You can be at home. As we all know, it’s a very tough time just staying at home, so just protect yourself as much as you can.”
The Patriots have so far largely avoided significant issues with COVID-19, but the team does currently have two players — Dalton Keene (IR) and J.J. Taylor — on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
In brighter COVID-related news, New England just activated Kyle Dugger from the list after he missed the team’s primetime win over the Buffalo Bills due to a positive COVID-19 test.
Additionally, the Patriots are not among the seven teams who have gone into enhanced COVID prevention protocols, which includes conducting all meetings via Zoom and limiting access to team facilities.
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