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  2020-09-13

  New England Patriots

  The NFL has proposed harsh guidelines to allow for continued play during the COVID epidemic. First, the players can opt out of the season and still collect some pay ($350,000 if they are high risk or $150,00 if they are not). The New England Patriots had a league high of eight players opt out of the season, four of whom were projected starters for the team, which is a huge loss. The NFL also imposed a rule that if the state guidelines allow it, they can have some fans come to the home games. The Patriots being in part of the USA that was hit the worst were not allowed to have fans, so they could play sounds of fans into the stadium. For stadiums that allow for fans they cannot have tailgating and cannot sell food. Fans also must stay in their designated “pods,” or rows of seats which are distanced from other family’s pods. For the players who are playing, they are tested every day and if they test positive, they must be removed for two weeks from the team. The Patriots suffered from this week four when some of their players tested positive for COVID. The big name was their starting quarterback Cam Newton. This caused him to sit out week four vs. their toughest opponent and had the Patriots’ next game postponed after more positive scares. With only seven more weeks of the regular season left the NFL will continue to be affected by the virus.