The New York Jets’ contact tracing efforts, after the La’Mical Perine positive test, have returned good news for the Patriots game.
The 2020 New York Jets lead the world in one category: negative COVID-19 tests. Not one Jets player came down with the disease until this week, the final one of this most unusual season.
La’Mical Perine was the man who tested positive, and whenever one man tests positive, important procedures follow. Contact tracing was necessary to see if anybody else would be forced to miss the season finale against the New England Patriots.
Along with injured players, six Jets sat out of Wednesday’s practice with “not injury related” designations. These six players were those involved in the contact tracing protocols.
Fast-forward just a day and only one player is not yet out of the woods.
Chuma Edoga, John Franklin-Myers, Bryce Hall, Neville Hewitt and Marcus Maye have all been cleared of any COVID-19-related danger and will all practice Thursday. Starting cornerback Blessuan Austin is the lone man who remains on the injury report for COVID-19-related protocols.
Of all of the guys who did not practice yesterday due to "not injury related" status, only Bless Austin won't participate today (not feeling well).
Edoga, JFM, Hall, Hewitt and Maye are good to go. It looks as though the Jets' contact tracing returned good news. #TakeFlight
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) December 31, 2020
“It was a procedure we had to go through with the league, just making sure that we were being careful with guys in the building,” Gase said on his regularly scheduled Thursday Zoom call.
Anytime one player tests positive, the slew of procedures follow. It sounds like the Jets are simply playing it safe with Austin.
“He wasn’t feeling good,” Gase said of his young cornerback. “We’re making sure everything’s good.”
The Jets wrap up their 2020 season this Sunday when they travel north to take on the New England Patriots.