The National Football League said Friday that it will postpone three games this weekend as the number of Covid-19 cases among players has risen and the new Omicron variant of the virus hits the United States.
The NFL’s move, the first postponement of professional football games this season, comes as the National Hockey League is postponing multiple teams’ games for the same reason, and days after the NBA had two games involving the Chicago Bulls due to a Covid outbreak that affected 10 players.
More than 100 NFL players have reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week.
The Raiders-Browns game in Cleveland, originally planned for Saturday, will be played on Monday afternoon. Two games scheduled for Sunday – the Seahawks against the Rams and the Washington Football Team against the Philadelphia Eagles – will be played on Tuesday evening.
“We made these schedule changes based on medical advice and in consultation with the [National Football League Players Association] as we see a new, highly transmissible form of the virus this week that is causing a significant spike in cases across the league, “the NFL said in a statement.
“We continue to make decisions in consultation with medical experts to ensure the health and safety of the NFL community,” said the league.
On Thursday, the NFL updated its logs related to the coronavirus, saying, “The changes we’re making today are aimed at addressing the increase in cases and the emergence of the Omicron variant.”
The league said all clubs must immediately “take preventive measures that have been shown to be effective: masking regardless of vaccination status, remote or outdoor meetings, elimination of personal meals and no outside visitors during team trips”.
And the NFL adjusted “the return requirements for those who have recovered from COVID-19.”
The NHL announced on Friday that it has extended the postponement period for the Calgary Flames with the team’s previously scheduled game against the Seattle Kraken next Thursday.
The league hockey also said it would postpone the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers games with the completion of the NHL vacation break in its schedule on December 26th.
The Flames will postpone six games, the Avalanche will postpone four games and the Panthers will postpone three games.
