In early October, the Tennessee Titans broke the NFL’s protocols surrounding COVID-19. In the span of six days, the team had 18 positive tests among players and several more among staffers in the organization.
After that first episode, the league informed the team that they must shut down all facilities. Despite that command, the Titans held in-person practices and ultimately had two more members of the team test positive for the deadly virus. The league promised that, after a full investigation, they would slam down heavily on Tennessee, who caused many scheduling changes, including an early bye for them and the Steelers.
This morning, the NFL officially fined the Titans $350,000 but did not punish any individuals. The NFL also deemed that issuing a forfeiture of games or draft picks was not necessary. The Titans were very cooperative with the entire investigation, providing videos and interviews as well as photos and surveillance footage.
Update: The #Titans have been fined $350K, source said, and have been told there will be escalated discipline with further instances of COVID-19 protocol violations. https://t.co/8IytciX2zb
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 25, 2020
The Titans, currently 5-0 this season, are one of three undefeated teams left in the NFL. On Sunday, they face off against the also-undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers. Ryan Tannehill has looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL the season. Meanwhile, Derrick Henry is a potential MVP candidate once again. Head coach Mike Vrabel has been instrumental to the success of the team, as has mastermind offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
The Titans’ punishment has set a precedent for the rest of the NFL, including the Las Vegas Raiders. California’s newest team may see similar punishments come down following a reviewal of their own process.
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