Why Cowboys Are Cautiously Confident in COVID-19 Battle
FRISCO - Can the 2020 NFL season persevere amid the ongoing COVID-19 concerns? That question lies on the minds of many NFL coaches, players and fans. "Success" during a pandemic remains a relative term ... a moving target ... and at the forefront for the Dallas Cowboys' daily routine.
“We know every day the challenges we battle with COVID-19," said running back Ezekiel Elliott. "Every day we have to do things the right way, wear our masks, wear our contract tracers, go get that COVID test every day, so I think it’s hard to not have it at the forefront of conversation. Everything has been affected by it.”
After the NFL's first true COVID-19 outbreak, the league is postponing Sunday's game between the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nine members (and counting) of the Titans staff (including at least six players) tested positive for the coronavirus, causing facility shutdowns in Tennessee.
There was talk of playing on Monday or Tuesday. But now the game will likely be rescheduled for later in the season.
Despite the outbreak, first-year Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy remains confident in the league's protocols. With COVID back in the NFL headlines, McCarthy this week stressed the importance of it staying as a nonstop focus for the Cowboys.
"I would say the league has done a tremendous job of communicating constantly about the challenge of COVID, the reminders, the protocols are working," McCarthy said. "I think it's like anything, you have to really enforce everything you do to treat this challenge with regulation. ... The protocols and the systems they have in place are giving us the best chance to win this challenge. But it's a constant focus."
According to McCarthy, the Cowboys spent an "enormous amount of time'' meticulously going back over protocols in Wednesday's team meeting so Dallas can stay on the field instead of sidelined for outbreaks.
Among the new rules this season, coaches and other staff are also required to wear face masks on the sideline during games, although some have received lofty fines for violating the rule.
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With the strict policies in place, Cowboys defensive tackle Dontari Poe was surprised of the Titans news.
"It's kind of shocking because us as a team, I feel like have been doing a great job and everybody with the league has been held to the same standard," Poe said. "It's kind of weird it happened like that because how tight they are around here, you'd think it wouldn't happen."
AT&T Stadium hosted a COVID-19 stadium record of 21,708 fans in Week 2 against Atlanta, the team's only home game so far. Team owner Jerry Jones hopes more fans will be in attendance this Sunday when the Cowboys play host to the Cleveland Browns, a game that will go on - amid caution by all.
