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NFL Joins NHL, NCAA In Moving Games Due To COVID

IT'S OFFICIAL: The National Football League has moved three Week 15 games to next week -- including a pivotal NFC East matchup between the Washington Football Team and Philadelphia Eagles -- as COVID-19 continues to decimate active rosters, the league announced Friday afternoon.

The decision comes amid an escalation in coronavirus cases nationwide that have slammed college and professional sports.

The decision comes amid an escalation in coronavirus cases nationwide that have slammed college and professional sports.

Photo Credit: NFL.com

The decision comes amid an escalation in coronavirus cases nationwide that have slammed college and professional sports.

The Cleveland Browns, who among those who had games rescheduled, most recently listed 23 players on the NFL's Covid-19/Reserve list including starting quarterback Baker Mayfield. Coach Kevin Stefanski also tested positive earlier this week.

Washington, which also had a game moved, matched that player number with 23. These include the team's first- and second-string quarterback.

Those teams didn't have the highest number, however: As of Friday, the Los Angeles Rams had 29 players on the Covid-19/Reserve list.

Locally, the New York Giants’ situation worsened Friday, with two more defensive backs — safety J.R. Reed and practice squad defensive back Natrell Jamerson -- boosting the number of positive or contact cases to nine.

The National Hockey League has seen some teams shut down, with others following, as coronavirus cases begin to spike again nationwide.

The Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers are out of game action through Dec. 26, joining the Calgary Flames, whose shutdown began Monday. A Saturday, Dec. 16 game between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins also was postponed.

More than a dozen NCAA mens basketball games have been canceled or postponed in recent days.

Those affected include Seton Hall, which was to play Iona.

"The status of future games will be determined at a later date," the SHU Athletic Department said in a statement.

In the NFL:

Saturday's game between the Browns and the Las Vegas Raiders was moved to 5 p.m. (ET) this Monday, Dec. 20;

Sunday games between Washington and Philly and the Rams and Seattle Seahawks were both postponed to 7 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

"From the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, our focus has been to play our games in a safe and responsible way, consistent with the best available medical and public health advice, based on protocols jointly developed and implemented with the NFL Players Association," Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a memo to the teams.

The NFL list is for players who either test positive for COVID or have been quarantined after coming in close contact with infected people.

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