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sports Diabierna 29 Januari 2021

Chiefs, Bucs ride (mostly) COVID-clear season to Super Bowl

(AP) — The Kansas City
Chiefs had a pretty good
idea what kind of CO-
VID-19 protocols they
would have to wade
through in defense of
their Super Bowl champi-
onship the moment they
finally gathered for in-
person training camp.

One of their own helped to
devise them.

It was Chiefs vice president
of sports medicine and per-
formance Rick Burkholder
who worked hand in hand
with the NFL, physicians and
other trainers in developing
the testing, social distancing
and tracing parameters that
would ultimately allow the
league to play its full 256-
game regular-season sched-
ule. And it was Burkholder
who helped the Chiefs navi-
gate the season with few pos-
itive tests and just one post-
ponement — the fault of the
other team — as they closed
in on a Super Bowl repeat.

“I think in the spring and
early summer, many of us
had a lot of uncertainty about
how this was going to un-
fold,” Chiefs chairman Clark
Hunt said. “I don't think we
knew for sure you could play istered from Aug. 1 to the were fined $650,000 for three miss a game, and both teams Super Bowl MVP, when he
football safely, that the virus end of the regular season, separate violations, the Patri- are — knock on wood — ex- tells the Chiefs to skip the
would not be passed on the resulting in 256 positive ots $350,000 for their issues, pected to be at full strength family gatherings around the
football field. Those were tests among players and 432 and the Ravens $250,000 for when they meet in the Super holidays.
things we just didn't know, among other staff members. their outbreak. Bowl on Feb. 7 in Tampa,
and it was a process to figure But many of those positive Florida. “Like, getting a haircut be-
out how to do this.” tests could be traced to a few All of which make the prob- fore the game — I had to get
teams and a handful of out- lems of the Chiefs and Bucs “I think our guys have done my barber tested, or go to the
Ultimately, the Chiefs and breaks, which all but crippled seem downright trivial. a great, great job of being ac- barber shop when no one is
Buccaneers are in the Super some of them for large parts countable to each other with there,” Mahomes said. "You
Bowl in part because they of the season. Kansas City had eight players COVID all year, and will can't risk getting COVID or
figured it out as well as any- on the active roster land on continue to do that,” Buc- anything like that. And then,
body. The Titans had an outbreak the COVID-19 list, includ- caneers coach Bruce Arians after games when I would
involving 24 players and ing Hardman and starting said. “We’ve talked about usually hang out with the
They adhered to strict mask personnel that caused two linebacker Anthony Hitch- family and friends testing guys, hang out with differ-
mandates inside the facility. postponements and wiped ens, both of whom missed before they ever enter your ent people, or even hang out
They avoided large gather- out their bye week. The Ra- games. They also had a home; making sure every- with my family, I had to kind
ings once they left. They vens had issues heading into couple of staff members test body’s tested and being very, of prevent that as much as
spread out to eat meals, held a Thanksgiving showdown positive, including strength very smart about it.” possible or keep it very mini-
meetings in small groups and with Pittsburgh that they ul- coach Rick Rubin and Burk- mal. I mean, it does take a toll
paid whatever it took for cut- timately played without quar- holder, the very same man Arians and his Chiefs coun- on you.”
ting-edge tracking systems. terback Lamar Jackson in the who worked with the NFL to terpart, Andy Reid, point to a
following week. The Broncos develop testing protocols. few reasons their teams have Then again, the toll is a little
They held the health of the had to play a game without remained safe this season, easier to bear when you are
guy next to them in the same any quarterback whatsoever, Tampa Bay had 11 players on one of the biggest being luck. part of a team capable of win-
regard as their own. and general manager John the active roster land on the The fact is even the biggest ning a championship.
Elway and CEO Joe Ellis also list, including running back hypochondriac could catch
“We had to take care of each were affected by an outbreak Ronald Jones and linebacker the virus without even know- “It was a mental battle try-
other. We couldn't go out that sent an assistant coach to Devin White, who missed ing it. ing to go through a whole
there and do things we nor- the hospital. the Buccaneers’ regular-sea- football season, trying to stay
mally do,” Chiefs wide re- son finale and wild-card win The other main reason is focused on the game, try-
ceiver Mecole Hardman said. Violations of the COVID-19 over Washington. leadership. It's easy to follow ing to stay focused on your
“We did a real good job of protocols were costly in the example of Tom Brady, team, when the whole world
protecting each other, and it more literal ways. The Raid- But compared to other teams with six Super Bowl rings seemed like it was in chaos,”
did bring us together. We all ers were fined $1.2 million around the league, the Chiefs behind him and the Hall of Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu
had to be locked in.” and docked a sixth-round and Bucs had modest prob- Fame in front of him, when said. "We just kind of tried to
pick for violations, while the lems. Four of the Chiefs and he demands the Buccaneers put our blinders on in a sense
According to the NFL, there Saints lost a seventh-rounder four of the Bucs who landed mask up. The same with Pat- that we’ve got a job to do.”
were 922,220 tests admin- and $500,000. The Titans on the COVID-19 list didn’t rick Mahomes, the reigning