Jerry Jones Just Sent a Message to Any Potential COVID-19 Protocol Violators
Amidst COVID-19, the NFL lost regular-season revenue due to the lack of full stadiums. Then, after three weeks of games, the league was forced to reschedule the Titans-Steelers game when the Titans reported a COVID-19 outbreak. One team that does seem to take the precautions seriously is the Dallas Cowboys — thanks to Jerry Jones.
Possible consequences for the Titans
To protect the players and ensure the rest of the season goes smoothly, the NFL put in place COVID-19 protocols that all the 32 NFL teams must follow. In a memo sent to the teams, details Chat Sports, Commissioner Roger Goodell warned the teams against protocol violations, reiterating the need for compliance. Violators will face steep penalties, including massive fines, forfeit of a game, and loss of draft picks.
Titans is now under investigation by the NFL and NFL Players Association on whether they violated the league’s Covid-19 protocols. But Titans’ coach Mike Vrabel denied these claims, saying the organization complied with the protocols.
Jerry Jones and the Cowboys are taking COVID-19 seriously
The Dallas Cowboys haven’t had a COVID-19 positive test since July 31. This is due to the extraordinary measures the team has enforced to ensure the safety of the players, coaches, other staff members, and their fans. In July, the team modified their training facility in Frisco, Texas, in response to the pandemic, becoming one of the few teams in the league to set up bubble training.
Although Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys owner, faced a lot of criticism when he announced that fans will attend Cowboy games, their first game against the Falcons was hugely successful, with over 20,000 people attending and the Cowboys winning the game. The stadium was outfitted with pods accommodating 10-15 people to meet social distancing rules.
Since the pandemic started, Jones has been a big proponent of the NFL enforcing stricter COVID-19 policies. Speaking to 105.3 FM, Jones expressed his support for the NFL on how they have handled the pandemic and how optimistic he is about the season. In the wake of the Titans’ outbreak and the NFL’s Covid-19 protocols, Jones also expressed his full support for any monumental punishment the NFL might impose on violators.
Jones emphasized the need for penalties for protocol violations saying, “there’s got to be some heavy penalties for that because that involves the lives of many people.” He further goes on to reiterate the importance of maintaining discipline in adhering to the regulations. If not, be ready to suffer the consequences.
The Cowboys’ 2020 performance so far
Although the Cowboys started this season with a lot of hype, their subsequent plays have been lackluster. The team changed most of the coaching staff and brought in new talent to turn their performance around, details WFAA. Under the leadership of a new head coach Mike McCarthy, the Cowboys lost in Week 1. The defense failed to keep up with the Rams’ offense.
Week 2 saw them bounce back with an impressive win against the Falcons. The game was marked with a lot of ups and downs with the Falcons leading in the 1st quarter 20-0. But the Cowboys pulled off a miraculous 40-39 victory. They lost 38-31 in Week 3 to the Seattle Seahawks in a close game that they didn’t play very well. The week 4 match against the Browns went similarly, with a 49-38 loss to the Browns.
The Dallas Cowboys have a recurring theme of losing games this season despite having several great offensive players. It’s undisputed that Dak Prescott is not only carrying the defense but also the whole team. They need to fully examine their deficiencies if they are going to survive this season.
