The New Orleans Saints are facing a crisis-level coronavirus outbreak with six vaccinated coaches and staffers and one player testing positive for the virus, a report says.
According to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, five of the team’s assistant coaches and the team nutritionist tested positive. All are fully vaccinated.
Along with the coaches and nutritionist, one player tested positive, but that player is already on the injured reserve list.
Until this outbreak, the entire league was only reporting nine players with positive tests.
The NFL recently amended its virus testing policy for vaccinated employees to being tested only one time a week. But unvaccinated members must test for the virus daily.
The Saints have been practicing in Texas because Hurricane Ida threatened their hometown. Yet, despite this outbreak, the team still plans to play the Carolina Panthers this weekend.
In the meantime, the team has gone into advanced coronavirus protocols meaning all staff and players will have to mask up and test for the virus daily — vaccinated or not — until the positive results go away.
The team says it is closely monitoring the situation.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston.