The Bucs may keep a healthy backup quarterback quarantined for emergency use in case Tom Brady contracts coronavirus
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians told Chris Long on the podcast "Green Light" that he is considering keeping a third-string quarterback away from the team as a COVID-19 precautionary measure.
- Long and Arians said it's possible that a starting quarterback and his backup could both contract COVID-19 because they work together in the same rooms.
- The NFL has not yet released health and safety protocols for the coronavirus pandemic, and it is unclear if and when teams can hold training camps this summer.
How the 2020 NFL season will function amid the coronavirus pandemic is still largely unknown, but Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has contingency plans if his most important players get sick.
Arians was on former NFL defensive end Chris Long's podcast, "Green Light," and said he is considering keeping the Buccaneer's third-string quarterback away from the rest of the team. Long first mentioned hearing the idea, saying it's possible that if a starting quarterback contracted COVID-19, his backup could, too, and then the team may be down to its third-string quarterback.
"That's one of the things I've been pondering the last two, three weeks as we set the protocols," Arians said. "From what I'm understanding, if you test positive, you're quarantined for two weeks ... There's so much to learn and still explore with [the novel coronavirus], but I've thought about keeping the third quarterback on the roster out of the room."
Arians added: "I might have to quarantine a quarterback just in case of a quarantine."
As Long noted on the podcast, it may be tough for teams to thoroughly plan for the season, as protocols are still being set and it's uncertain how rampant the virus will be, come fall.
However, Arians said that most teams don't have big enough facilities to allow everyone to stay physically distant. The Bucs have around 90 players and 30 coaches heading into training camp.
ESPN's Dianna Russini reported on Wednesday that there were discussions about letting 10-15 players into team facilities to voluntarily work out. However, the players union reportedly shot it down over player safety.
As of now, there haven't been any decisions on how, and if, teams can hold standard training camps starting in July.
Listen to a clip of Arians' comments below:
- Read more:
- 16 athletes with the longest careers
- NASCAR bans the Confederate flag from all races in their latest move to support racial equality and social justice
- 1 long-shot bets to win the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial this weekend
- Kevin Durant's torn Achilles was a turning point in the NBA that still has ripple effects today