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The NFL has rescheduled three games due to a "substantial increase" in COVID-19 cases and the "highly transmissible" variant, the league announced on Friday.
Why it matters: More than 100 players are on the COVID/Reserve list, per CBS Sports, forcing the league to reschedule games for the first time this season.
- The NFL recently changed its COVID protocols, including reimplementing a mask mandate for everyone regardless of vaccination status, in response to the growing number of cases.
The big picture: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told the league in July that games would not be rescheduled due to team outbreaks and would be forfeited instead.
- The league completed last season on schedule, but it had to reschedule 15 games along the way.
Details: The Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams and Washington Football Team have a combined 68 players on the COVID/Reserve list. All three teams' games this week have been postponed.
- The Browns game against the Raiders will be moved from Saturday to Monday.
- The Rams game against the Seahawks and Washington game against the Eagles will both be moved from Sunday to Tuesday.
Between the lines: Not all players are happy with the league's decision. The schedule change will shorten the turnaround time between this week's game and next week's game.
- For example, the Eagles will have just five days between their now-Tuesday game against Washington and their game on Dec. 26 against the New York Giants.
- "So we have to suffer, and compromise our schedule because of another teams mistake. Make it make sense!" Eagles safety Rodney McLeod tweeted.