After NFL COVID-19 cases, Chiefs’ Travis Kelce will avoid one game day tradition
As COVID-19 has become a more prominent actor in the NFL season, some Chiefs players say it will prompt at least one visible adjustment.
No more postgame handshakes.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes could be seen exchanging a one-arm hug with Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore after Monday’s game, and a day later, Gilmore tested for COVID-19. The two players were wearing contract tracers that determined the interaction did not warrant Mahomes needing to quarantine, but he called it a “mental lapse” and vowed to avoid such interactions in the future.
Other teammates are ready to take a lesson from the moment, too. Tight end Travis Kelce said Friday he will return to the locker room after games rather than shaking hands with opposing players as he’s done in the past.
“I think that’s probably the safest way to do it,” Kelce said. “I think just the smart thing to do is just to keep it moving. You can always shoot a guy a text or give a guy a call and let them know how much you respect them and things like that. But I think for the most part, just keeping the distance as much as you can and doing all the precautions throughout the facility so stuff doesn’t happen, knowing that it’s hard to stop.”
Positive COVID-19 tests for the Patriots and Chiefs pushed back the game one day. Gilmore played Monday and later also tested positive for the Patriots. The Chiefs have had no more positive tests, the lone case still isolated to practice squad quarterback Jordan Ta’amu last weekend.
A coronavirus outbreak with the Titans has altered multiple teams’ schedules, including the Chiefs. Because the Titans are (tentatively) slated to play the Bills on Tuesday, the Chiefs’ game in Buffalo next week could be delayed until Sunday. It was originally scheduled for Thursday.
“I’d be silly to say that the bar hasn’t gone up since all these breakouts have happened. You have to make sure you’re doing the right things and trying to take everybody into (account),” Kelce said. “You’re not just doing it for the guys on this team. You’re doing it for the guys league-wide. And it’s unfortunate what’s been going on, but hopefully everybody realizes again how serious this matter is and how fast this bug can spread.”
This story was originally published October 9, 2020 at 2:43 PM.