New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton has tested positive for the coronavirus and is out for the team’s Week 4 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Field Yates.
“Late last night, we received notice that a Patriots player tested positive for COVID-19. The player immediately entered self-quarantine,” the Patriots said during a statement Saturday. “Several additional players, coaches, and staff who are in close contact with the player received point of care tests this morning and everyone was negative for COVID-19.”
The NFL said during a statement Saturday that there have been “positive COVID-19 tests on both teams.” The league isn’t expected to work out the game’s day and time until it receives more test results Sunday, sources told Schefter. One source also told Schefter: “As of now it’s Monday, but it could easily be Tuesday.”
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New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton
The Patriots had a virtual team meeting on Saturday night, and therefore the players were told, pending negative tests, the present plan is to play the Chiefs on Monday, sources told ESPN’s Dianna Russini. All other Patriots’ tests returned negative Saturday night, a source told Schefter. The NFL still must get the Chiefs’ test results, but this was what the league needed and wanted to ascertain after a chaotic day in New England.
Chiefs practice squad quarterback Jordan Ta’amu tested positive, a source told ESPN, confirming an NFL Network report. Ta’amu is Kansas City’s scout team quarterback and played the role of Newton in preparation for this week’s game.
With Newton out, the Patriots will get to find a replacement starting quarterback. Veteran Brian Hoyer has served because the Patriots’ No. 2 quarterback through the primary three weeks of the season, and 2019 fourth-round draft choice Jarrett Stidham has been third on the depth chart.
This marks the primary time this season that the Patriots are suffering from the coronavirus. Up to the present point, they hadn’t placed a player on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Coach Bill Belichick had previously said that the Patriots, who even have quarterback Jake Dolegala on the practice squad, are fortunate to possess good depth at the position.
Newton has been one of the Patriots’ top performers during the team’s 2-1 start. He’s 62-of-91 for 714 yards, with two touchdown passes and two interceptions, and has added 35 rushes for 149 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Earlier in the week, with news of the Tennessee Titans’ coronavirus outbreak, Belichick had said: “We monitor everything a day. we do not just roll in the hay when there is a problem or something comes up elsewhere. We roll in the hay on a day to day and make everyone aware — because this is often everybody. it isn’t just players; it’s players and coaches and staff and everybody else. If we will do something better, then we ask them about how we will roll in the hay better. So we attempt to monitor it the simplest we will, and we, I think, are pretty vigilant with all folks .”
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