Colts QB Carson Wentz added to Reserve/COVID-19 list
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Colts quarterback Carson Wentz on Tuesday was added to the team’s Reserve/COVID-19 list.
The action comes as Indianapolis prepares to play the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium. Wentz would have a chance to play in that game under a new protocol established hours after the Colts’ announcement about the quarterback. That chance is determined by when Wentz was tested and ruled to be symptom-free.
The NFL and NFL Players Association on Tuesday afternoon agreed to modify their COVID-19 protocols. They cut the standard isolation period after a positive test for asymptomatic individuals from 10 days to five days regardless of vaccination status. The change to five days followed Monday’s announcement by the U.S. Centers for District Control and Prevention that reduced the isolation time from 10 to five days.
The NFL and NFLPA change also came a day after the league saw a record 106 players placed on COVID-19 lists.
Adam Schefter of ESPN tweeted he’s learned all NFL players put on the reserve/COVID list on Tuesday were the result of positive tests.
Colts coach Frank Reich said Wednesday he won’t know until later in the week whether Wentz can play Sunday.
So, if Wentz can’t play at the QB position on Sunday, who will?
A reporter for The Atlantic and a WISH-TV Colts analyst, Zak Keefer tweeted that he’s heard the Colts have discussed calling Philip Rivers, who last played for the Colts in the 2020 season. He retired Jan. 20 after 17 seasons.
Otherwise, the Colts have two quarterbacks on their roster: Sam Ehlinger and Brett Hundley.
Wentz was previously put on the list on Aug. 26 following “close contact” tracing that linked to a team staffer who tested positive for COVID-19 in the previous week.
Wentz in September explained the reason he’d not been vaccinated.
“Trust me, it is a personal decision,” Wentz said Sept. 2. “I’m not going to go into depth on why but I will say it’s a personal decision for me and my family. I respect everybody else’s decision and I just ask that everybody does the same for me. I know that’s not the world we live in, not everyone is going to equally view things the same but yeah, no one really knows what’s going on in someone else’s household and how things are being handled. It’s a personal decision. That’s just where I’m at on it and with the protocols and everything the way they are, really for us, it’s about understanding them clearly and making sure that we are dotting our I’s and crossing our T’s. All of those things so that we can avoid what happened this week with a couple of us.”
Wentz also said Sept. 2 that his decision whether to get the vaccine remains “fluid” and it is one that “keeps me up at night.”
It was not immediately known Tuesday if Wentz has been vaccinated.
Wentz’s addition to the list came a day after five players were added to the list, making a total of 15 who’ve joined the NFL protocol this month, according to Colts transactions. A total of 13 players, including Wentz and several other starters, were on the list Tuesday.
Added Monday were safety Jahleel Addae, cornerback T.J. Carrie, linebacker Malik Jefferson, running back Marlon Mack and tackle Braden Smith.
On Saturday, before the Colts defeated the Cardinals 22-16, linebacker Darius Leonard, wide receiver Zach Pascal, and safety Khari Willis were put on the list. The team was down a total of eight starters for the Christmas night matchup.
On Friday, it was guard Quenton Nelson. A day earlier, it was guard Mark Glowinski. And on Wednesday, these players were added: defense end Kemoko Turay and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin.
Linebacker Zaire Franklin joined the list Dec. 13, and center Ryan Kelly was added Dec. 4.