NFL postpones Browns, Rams and Washington games amid COVID surge

The NFL has moved three games due to COVID-19 issues, the NFL announced.

The Browns-Raiders game was moved to Monday at 5 p.m with COVID issues for Cleveland. Two more games — Rams-Seahawks and Washington-Eagles — were later moved to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The Browns have 19 players in protocol, including quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and backup Case Keenum. Mayfield expressed discontent on Twitter Thursday with the NFL’s testing protocols. Cleveland.com reported Friday that the league directed the Browns to only test asymptomatic players and those who wanted to be tested.

The Raiders, per ESPN, were ready to board buses at 11:15 Pacific time, but were told to stand down. On Twitter, linebackers Will Compton and KJ Wright both criticized the NFL’s handling of the situation, pointing to the league’s assertion that games wouldn’t be postponed this season.

Of course, that was before the Omicron variant upended things this week.

Things reached critical mass on Friday, culminating in the postponement. Whether that’s all the NFL will have to do or more changes are coming — including potential shifts in protocol to allow players to return early — isn’t yet clear.

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