With the upswing in positive cases in the NFL, there is no doubt that COVID-19 could be a factor affecting many teams heading into the playoffs. And this regardless of whether it is a team that tries to maintain maximum precautions like the Cowboys. In fact, the cowboy team may be close to having a major outbreak.
This Thursday, the Cowboys included two more players on the COVID-19 list after testing positive for the virus. They are offensive tackle Tyron Smith and cornerback Anthony Brown, who were included in the safety protocol. The two join linebacker Micah Parsons, who tested positive Tuesday. As expected, these three players are ruled out to play the Eagles this week.
Cowboys starting LT Tyron Smith and CB Anthony Brown tested positive and were placed on Reserve/COVID-19.
– Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) January 6, 2022
Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs and S Donovan Wilson are dealing with illness. Neither would have participated if the team practiced today. Their statuses will be monitored leading up to Saturday’s game at Eagles.
– Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) January 6, 2022
However, they may not be the only casualties from the virus. According to Dallas’ practice report Thursday, cornerback Trevon Diggs and safety Donovan Wilson are in doubt for Saturday’s game. They are both on sick leave, but have tested negative for the virus so far. For now, these defensive backs will be monitored by the team and awaiting the results of new tests.
With this, the Cowboys have a total of seven players on the COVID-19 roster. Of the headlines, at the moment there are only Smith, Brown and Parsons. Apart from them, on the list are offensive tackle Josh Ball, punter Hunter Niswander, defensive tackle Josiah Bronson and linebacker Francis Bernard. Niswander and Ball are on injured reserve, with the latter being designated to return to practice soon.
Some Dallas players violate security protocols
On the other hand, there is a risk that the number of positives in the cowboy team will increase in the coming days. This, in large part, due to the fact that some Dallas players broke the prevention protocols that the NFL was managing with respect to social and mass events.
The first case that attracts attention is that of Micah Parsons. On Monday, the rookie attended an NBA game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Denver Nuggets. There, Parsons was in the audience without wearing a protective mask. It is very likely that the linebacker was infected there, since his positive for the virus came just the next day.
Micah Parsons, sitting near midcourt, gets a nice welcome. pic.twitter.com/Uue8nlsaw5
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) January 4, 2022
More alarming, however, is the case of CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper. On Wednesday, both receivers were at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, also watching a Mavericks game. It is worth noting that in this game the number of Dirk Nowitski, a former player of that NBA team, was officially retired.
Beyond the occasion, the worrying thing is that Lamb and Cooper have been seen without a mask at a crowded sporting event. And even more so 24 hours after the positive of Micah Parsons, just after also attending a Mavs game. Recall that both receptors have already been low by the virus this year (Lamb in August and Cooper in November). However, we recently saw Keanu Neal test positive for the second time this season.
Today they retire Dirk Nowitzki’s jersey ???? in Dallas.
Front row are WR CeeDee Lamb and WR Amari Cooper (also BIG P Clayton Kershaw). 2 days ago in the front row was LB Micah Parsons (today in the protocol of #Covid_19).
Reporting, not giving opinion …#DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/sGMrrYOxis
– Cowboy Tales ✭ (@CuentosVaqueros) January 6, 2022
But that is not all. For this action, it is very likely that Amari Cooper will be fined. At this time, the NFL prohibits unvaccinated players from attending mass attendance public events. In case of sporting events, they should be surrounded by small groups and wear a mask. Cooper is still not vaccinated, apart from watching the Mavericks game in the front row and without protection.
On this matter, Cooper gave his opinion during a radio interview this Friday on 105.3 The Fan. According to his words, the recipient says that no environment is safe and that it is possible to contract the virus even by avoiding these types of events. Likewise, Cooper said that he appeared without a mask in the photos of him during the game because he was eating and drinking at the time. And, clearly, it shows that it was not like that.
Cowboys WR Amari Cooper on @1053thefan on the potential risk of being in a big crowd and possibly testing positive for COVID-19 with the playoffs approaching: pic.twitter.com/AeNA0XC0L6
– Jon Machota (onjonmachota) January 7, 2022
For many fans and reporters, what Parsons, Cooper and Lamb did is downright irresponsible. Especially from the receivers, seeing that the linebacker tested positive hours before. This undoubtedly breaks the pattern of caution that the Cowboys were running from last week.
From the days leading up to the New Year, the dressing room leaders and the coaching staff urged players to take care of themselves and not expose themselves to the virus. This was done to keep COVID-19 casualties to a minimum, especially now that Dallas will play the postseason for the first time since the 2018 campaign. However, it seems that some players forgot that the 2021 season is not over yet and that they could cause a sprout on the computer.
For now, it remains to be seen if the Cowboys register new positive cases of COVID-19 in the next few hours. Likewise, let’s hope that the irresponsibility of the aforementioned players does not end up affecting the cowboy team for the postseason. If a massive outbreak does occur, this can bring a lot of criticism. And even more so when it comes to some of the stars of Dallas.
