FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 04: Stephon Gilmore #24 of the New England Patriots lines up during the AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium on January 04, 2020 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)On Wednesday morning, news broke that New England Patriots star corner Stephon Gilmore tested positive for COVID-19.
That news comes after the team was allowed to play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. Originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon, the Patriots-Chiefs game was moved following Cam Newton’s positive test.
After no other players – on either team – tested positive, the NFL rescheduled the game for Monday night. Now, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year has tested positive for the virus.
That left many across the sports world unhappy with how the NFL handled the situation. Gilmore was reportedly a “close contact” of Newton’s before he tested positive on Tuesday.
Following Monday’s game, Gilmore met up with Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes for a close talk.
That's Stephon Gilmore with Mahomes. pic.twitter.com/wY2GECSHgX
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 7, 2020
In a vacuum, this isn’t a big deal. NFL players exchange pleasantries postgame all the time. However, given Gilmore’s positive test, Chiefs fans are worried about the reigning Super Bowl MVP.
Patriots beat writer Zack Cox made his thoughts clear, calling the NFL “irresponsible” for holding the game when it knew further positive tests within the Patriots organization were a possibility.
“It was wildly irresponsible for the NFL to play Monday night’s game. Stephon Gilmore tested negative for three straight days before the game, flew to KC, played every snap, then tested positive the next day, which the league *knew* was a possibility,” he said on Twitter.
New England isn’t the only team battling the virus right now either. The Tennessee Titans received two more positive tests on Wednesday as well.
The Patriots will not practice today and their game against the Denver Broncos is in jeopardy.
