Through four weeks of the NFL season, Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams have been able to avoid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This is not the case for several other teams — like the Tennessee Titans — who have seen a major spike in cases, leading to the postponement of two of their games.
McVay and the Rams have likely been able to stay safe and healthy by following the protocols set in place by the NFL. This is even more true when considering the fact that the Rams have traveled cross-country for two of their four games. Because of this, and the outbreaks that some teams have not been able to get away from, McVay has harshened his stance on those who don’t follow protocol.
McVay agrees with the new notion that teams should be punished by the league if it can be proven that an outbreak can be traced back to a violation of the rules, according to Lindsey Thiry of ESPN:
“Oh, yeah,” McVay said during a video conference with reporters. “There’s some very strict policies that the league is serious about implementing, and I think we all realize, you know, how volatile this thing is. And so to answer your question, yes.”
There has been discussion of the Titans being forced to forfeit any future games that have to be postponed due to their outbreak. This was exacerbated when it was revealed that the team held a secret workout at a local high school after several confirmed positive cases had been discovered.
Blatantly violating the NFL’s rules on COVID-19 outbreaks not only poses a threat to the Titans, but it also could potentially shut down the whole season if not managed correctly.
It’s a positive sign for the Rams that McVay takes this so seriously. It means that Rams players will be less likely to do something that breaks protocol and that McVay will take it upon himself to punish those who do.
McVay preaches responsibility to staff and players
Prior to the beginning of the NFL season, McVay spoke with the entirety of the Rams personnel to urge them to be responsible as the pandemic continues to ravage the United States.
He spoke about physically distancing whenever possible and wearing a mask when not playing in games. These two things are being taken very seriously by the NFL, and clearly in L.A.
