The Eagles on Tuesday afternoon announced that a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 and the Eagles are following the “intensive protocol” as agreed upon by the NFL and NFLPA.
NBC Sports Philadelphia has confirmed a report from Derrick Gunn that the staff member in question is a coach.
“The individual and close contacts who were identified through contract tracing have been placed in self isolation,” the Eagles said in a statement.” We are following the NFL-NFLPA intensive protocols and remain in close communication with the league.”
This news comes the week after safety Marcus Epps landed on the NFL’s Reserve/COVID-19 list following a positive test. Epps is still on the COVID-19 list.
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While the Eagles caught a break last week because they were on a bye week, this positive test will affect them more as they prepare to face the Giants on Sunday afternoon.
The Eagles will be able to practice this week but all meetings will need to be held virtually unless they’re outdoors or in the bubble with masks on and practicing social distancing.
Here’s a closer look at the intensive protocol:
For the most part, the Eagles have been pretty lucky when it comes to COVID-19 this season. Epps went on the list last week but he’s just the second player during the season to go on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, along with Matt Pryor who missed a game in October despite never testing positive himself. As a reminder, the Reserve/COVID-19 list is for players who test positive or who have been in close contact with someone who has.
Before the season, the Eagles had three players end up on the list: Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata and Nate Gerry. Head coach Doug Pederson also tested positive and was forced out of the building for a while in the summer.
