Chris Jones added to Chiefs’ COVID list

On Monday afternoon, we learned that two players from this week’s Thursday Night Football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers had been placed on their respective teams’ Reserve/COVID list: Chargers starting left tackle Rashawn Slater and Chiefs starting wide receiver Josh Gordon.

But as Kansas City head coach Andy Reid opened his press conference with local reporters on Tuesday, he dropped a bombshell: defensive lineman Chris Jones has also landed on the Chiefs’ COVID list.

With Jones, that makes a total of three Kansas City players on the list: Gordon, Jones and tight end Jody Fortson, who was moved from the Reserve/Injured list to the Reserve/COVID list on Friday.

Asked whether either Jones or Gordon would be able to play on Thursday, Reid was (predictably) non-committal, saying that “we’ll see” how the situation plays out.

Reid then deferred on a question about the specifics of the NFL’s COIVD policies and procedures as they relate to the two players’ potential availability, saying that such questions should be addressed to head trainer Rick Burkholder, whom Reid said is regularly “on the phone” with the NFL on these subjects. Reid suggested that the Chiefs’ public relations department might be able to get a specific answer from Burkholder.

Here’s what we know: a vaccinated player can be removed from the COVID list if they test negative for two consecutive days and display no disease symptoms. What is less clear is whether players like Gordon and Jones could be declared eligible to play if a second negative test occurs on Thursday.

We’ll keep you posted.