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DENVER (CBS4 / AP) – Quarterbacks Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles were taken out of the Broncos’ training ground on Saturday and sent home after the NFL deemed them close high-risk contacts of Jeff Driskel, who tested positive for coronavirus on Thanksgiving Day. As it turns out, the four Denver QBs gathered for a film study on their own on Tuesday, the players’ day off, “which is commendable,” coach Vic Fangio said after the 31-loss. Denver 3 vs New Orleans Sunday.
Drew Lock during practice last week (Credit: CBS)
But the four QBs weren’t wearing their mandatory masks or keeping their social distancing, which the league discovered by looking at surveillance footage. None were allowed to play against the Saints.
An hour before kick-off, Lock offered an apology, explanation, and defense in a lengthy Twitter post.
“In a controlled and socially remote area, we let our mask pass for a limited time. An honest mistake, but I’ll own it, “Lock wrote, adding,” I sincerely apologize and fully understand why these safety precautions are so important. Doing the right thing most of the time is not enough. “
Fangio, whose team fell to 4-7 with Kendall Hinton as the emergency starter at QB, said he was “disappointed on many levels” that the actions of his quarterbacks put his team and the NFL in a position difficult.
(credit: CBS)
“We are counting on them to be the team leaders and the offensive leaders and these guys made a mistake and it’s disappointing,” Fangio said. “Obviously I haven’t done a good enough job selling them the protocols when they’re alone, so part of that might be on me. I thought I was.
“We’ve highlighted that a lot and we’re doing really well with COVID so far… compared to the other teams. There was a failure there and it is disappointing.
When the league informed the Broncos that their QBs had violated COVID-19 protocols and needed to be quarantined, the Broncos begged league commissioner Roger Goodell to postpone their game against the Saints for a day or two.
Fangio, who was fined earlier this season for not wearing a mask on the sidelines, and two executives of general manager John Elway and team president Joe Ellis who were infected with the virus earlier this months have made this argument.
“I feel like maybe it could have been moved, but at the same time maybe the league (was) just an example of us,” said safety Kareem Jackson.
Fangio hesitated when asked if the NFL’s refusal to postpone the game was unfair, saying it was a question for Elway or Ellis.
“Terribly unhappy,” Elway posted on Facebook after the league disqualified his healthy three quarters.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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