Fifty-nine NFL players have tested positive at some point during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to an update Tuesday from the NFL Players Association. Initially, the NFLPA published that 95 players had tested positive, but later that day the number was set to 59.
The total number has been updated through the union’s official website, which offers a hub for the latest information on COVID-19 for all players. The change from 95 to 59 was clarified in an NFLPA tweet in which it said: “The previous number included all known positives in the league, including staff, and has now been updated to include only players. “
The NFLPA site also includes an update on the status of Infectious Disease Emergency Response Plans (IDERs) received from the 32 teams. A quarter of these plans (eight) were approved by the union and the remaining 24 submitted plans still under review.
The NFLPA released a statement on the testing procedures on Monday:
“Our union has pushed for the strongest testing, traceability and processing protocols to ensure the safety of our players. The testing protocols that we have accepted are a critical factor that will help us return to work safely and give us the best chance to play and finish the game. season.”
