Pro Sports

Titans' outbreak nears end, other NFL teams deal with COVID

Posted September 06, 2021 7:00 am

By TERESA M. WALKER

FILE - Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) is shown during the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Fla., in this Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, file photo. The Titans' virus outbreak keeps growing with quarterback Ryan Tannehill among three players being added to the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken, File) The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Titans' COVID-19 outbreak is nearing an end even with two starting offensive linemen still on the reserve list.

Not everyone around the NFL may be as healthy to kick off this season with COVID-19 proving to be an issue hovering over another season.

'œEverybody, whether it's the league, whether it's your family, my family, we all have to just understand that we're going to deal with some things,'ť Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Monday. "We're going to deal with positive test results from vaccinated people. We'll follow the protocols how we have to and try to be as safe as we possibly can.'ť

Vrabel, who said last spring he was vaccinated, was the first to test positive Aug. 22 in an outbreak that reached at least 14, including 10 players. Vrabel is optimistic that both center Ben Jones and right guard Nate Davis will be back soon enough to practice before the Titans host Arizona in the season opener Sunday.

Other NFL teams may be without starters for their openers.

Miami put its presumed starting left tackle Austin Jackson and backup tight end Adam Shaheen on the COVID-19 reserve list Monday ahead of Sunday's opener at New England. Carolina starting right guard John Miller also went on the reserve list Monday and will miss the Panthers' home opener against the Jets.

Miller will be out 10 days, which indicates under league rules he was unvaccinated and tested positive. Carolina coach Matt Rhule said last week only two Panthers' players had not been vaccinated.

The Jets are waiting to see if wide receiver Jamison Crowder will be available after going on the reserve list last Friday after testing positive. Vaccinated, Crowder needs to test negative 24 hours apart twice under NFL protocols.

Dallas likely will be without four-time Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin for its opener Thursday night at Tampa Bay.

All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu, who is vaccinated, remained out Monday after his positive test for COVID-19 as the two-time defending AFC champions began preparing Monday for their season opener against Cleveland.

Ryan Tannehill was just starting to practice with AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Derrick Henry, seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones and Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown when the Titans quarterback was put on the reserve list Aug. 26. He was activated Saturday and was on the field Monday.

Vrabel said Tannehill will have to build a relationship with Jones, acquired by trade in June, on the field. Both have met extensively, the Titans have talked about it and now must finetune in practice for the opener.

Asked if he talked to his players about staying safe before having a three-day weekend off, Vrabel said the Titans always try to be smart about what they do.

'œJudging from the games that I watched, I didn't see that COVID was much of a concern for anybody, but we have to be smart in the decisions that we make,'ť Vrabel said. 'œWhether it is who we hang out with, what we do, and I think that they are very conscious of that.'ť

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at https://twitter.com/TeresaMWalker

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More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

FILE - Tennessee Titans tight end Geoff Swaim (87) is shown during warm-ups before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville, Fla., in this Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, file photo. The Tennessee Titans' virus outbreak keeps growing with quarterback Ryan Tannehill among three players being added to the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021. General manager Jon Robinson told reporters Tannehill, tight end Geoff Swaim and linebacker Justin March-Lillard are joining four other players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. That gives the Titans now three starters out along with coach Mike Vrabel bringing the team's outbreak to eight. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Dec. 5, 2019, file photo, Dallas Cowboys' Zack Martin watches from the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago. The Cowboys are expected to open the season at Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay without right guard Martin after the four-time All-Pro tested positive for COVID-19. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2021, file photo, New York Jets wide receiver Jamison Crowder stretches during a joint NFL football practice with the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis. Crowder is recovering from symptoms of COVID-19 and his status for the opening game at Carolina remains uncertain. Coach Robert Saleh said Monday, Sept. 6, 2021, that Crowder is vaccinated against the virus, but the receiver's availability for the season opener will depend on how he feels. As a vaccinated player, Crowder will also need to produce two negative tests 24 hours apart, per NFL protocols. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke, File) The Associated Press

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette (15) runs with the ball as Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Friday, Aug. 27, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) The Associated Press

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