-
Turron DavenportESPN
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is among the nine players and coaches for the Tennessee Titans who have tested positive for COVID-19, sources in ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Thursday.
The Titans previously announced that seven players, including Tannehill, had been put on the reserve list / COVID-19 this week and that coach Mike Vrabel tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday.
Tannehill, who is vaccinated, will be missing five to ten days, depending on how quickly he can produce two negative tests in a 48-hour period. The Titans will host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 on September 12th.
Geoff Swaim and winger Justin Justin-Lillard were left on the reserve list on Thursday along with Tannehill. The other Titans players on the reserve list are defensive forward Anthony Rush, runner Jeremy McNichols and defenders Nick Dzubnar and Harold Landry.
Vrabel, who said Thursday that he is fine but has not had a negative test of COVID-19, told reporters that special teams coach Craig Aukerman is part of the COVID-19 protocol. Aukerman missed training on Wednesday and Thursday and will not be available for Saturday’s preseason game against the Chicago Bears.
Earlier Thursday, CEO Jon Robinson said Tannehill was “fine.”
“He’ll be committed to the meetings. He’ll be ready to start,” Robinson said. “He is a professional and has played in the league for a long time. We have the utmost confidence in him and his ability to prepare.”
Tannehill said he was “in the process of getting vaccinated” when he started training camp. He said at the time that he would not have gotten the vaccine, but that the NFL is “forcing the hands of the players” by instituting protocols.
The Titans were in Tampa, Florida, last week for joint practice with the Buccaneers. Former Titans kicker Ryan Succop, who is now a member of the Buccaneers, tested positive for COVID-19 and was added to the reserve list on Monday. Succop went to dinner with three Titans players when they were in Tampa. None of the Titans players at dinner have tested positive.
“We’ve followed the protocols,” said Robinson, who noted that titans are vaccinated about 97% or 98%. “Our medical team has done an exceptional job talking to the league and the players, coaches.”