NFL Fines Titans $350,000 for COVID-19 Outbreak, Reportedly Sets Eyes on Raiders Next
The NFL has fined the Tennessee Titans $350,000 for violating protocols leading to the league’s first COVID-19 outbreak during the season, a source familiar with the discipline told The Associated Press.
The Titans had 24 team employees, including 13 players, test positive for COVID-19 between Sept. 24 and Oct. 11.
The outbreak led the NFL to postpone two Tennessee games and the rescheduling of a game against Pittsburgh from Oct. 4 to Sunday and the second against Buffalo from Oct. 11 to Oct. 13.
Update: The #Titans have been fined $350K, source said, and have been told there will be escalated discipline with further instances of COVID-19 protocol violations. https://t.co/8IytciX2zb
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 25, 2020
The NFL and its players association sent representatives, including infectious disease experts, to Nashville where they reviewed video and interviewed players, coaches and other personnel.
But the NFL found the Titans failed to wear masks at all times and were “insufficiently clear” to players about not meeting or working out once the facility closed.
That led to the fine, according to the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Neither the NFL nor the Titans have commented on league discipline connected with the outbreak.
Fans, however, were quick to point out their disdain with the decision.
$350,000 fine for Titans isn’t even a story. Shouldn’t have even fined them. That’s like me being fined a $1.
— Brent Martineau (@BrentASJax) October 25, 2020
The Titans were fined the equivalent of a coffee today https://t.co/MhiNrBUNvI
— Josh to the UA (@JoshJwilly8) October 25, 2020
So Brady maybe deflated footballs and it was 4 games, 1 million, and loss of a first rounder. Titans go rouge on the @NFL covid and it’s 350k??? We got coaches getting fined more for not wearing a singular mask @nflcommish ????
— Seth Fox (@firefoxtrot) October 25, 2020
The league reportedly has its eyes on the Las Vegas Raiders next.
The NFL and NFLPA found that right tackle Trent Brown had not been consistently wearing his Kinexon contact-tracing device and had been congregating with other offensive linemen without face coverings.
Here’s the report from Glazer.
The #Raiders will be fined more than the #Titans pic.twitter.com/b9X4fWHySa
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 25, 2020
The Raiders have already been fined $50,000 for an unauthorized individual in their locker room postgame and $250,000 for head coach Jon Gruden not consistently wearing a mask on the sideline.
Several players were also fined after attending an indoor charity event and failed to wear masks.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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