Yahoo Sports Patriots coach Bill Belichick wears two masks against Chiefs amid COVID-19 outbreak
After a positive COVID-19 test within his own organization and the league cracking down on improper mask use, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick wasn’t taking any chances on Monday night.
Belichick wore two masks on the sideline for the Patriots’ rescheduled matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
A COVID-19 positive in New England
Sure, Belichick’s two masks are easy to make fun of. While some may see it as excessive, it’s actually smart given what’s happening within the Patriots organization.
Not only will having two masks on make it harder for him to violate the league’s coronavirus protocol on mask usage — although he briefly lowered both to yell at officials after a controversial play — but it will keep him safer from his own team.
Bill Belichick is HEATED @patspulpit pic.twitter.com/rQbd3QmMND
— SB Nation (@SBNation) October 6, 2020
Patriots quarterback Cam Newton was placed on the COVID-reserve list Saturday, and Chiefs practice squad quarterback Jordan Ta’amu tested positive. The NFL pushed back this game from Sunday to Monday. So far, all follow-up tests on Patriots and Chiefs personnel have come back negative.
The Patriots actually took two separate planes from New England to Kansas City for the game, one only filled with 20 “close contacts” of Newton in order to keep them separated.
While it appears that the virus hasn’t spread within either organization, it has only been a few days. The coronavirus’ incubation period is anywhere from 3-7 days, meaning that players and staff could still spread it Monday night.
Belichick’s two masks doesn’t prohibit him from contracting the coronavirus, but it will certainly add an extra layer of protection. And as he’s 68 years old — which puts him at a higher risk — that extra layer couldn’t hurt.
More from Yahoo Sports:
