Vikings Back At Practice After Virus Pause: 'You Just Roll With It'
(AP/WCCO) -- The Minnesota Vikings reopened their headquarters for team activities on Thursday, following another morning of zero positive COVID-19 test results four days after playing a Tennessee Titans team that experienced the NFL's first outbreak.
The Vikings announced their resumption of practice shortly after the league postponed Tennessee's home game on Sunday against Pittsburgh. The Titans, who were hoping to be allowed back in their building early next week, have had confirmed cases in five players and seven members of the organization over the past five days.
Minnesota plays at Houston on Sunday, a game between two of the NFL's six 0-3 teams that remains on track for now. Vikings coaches took their strategizing for the Texans home on Tuesday, which is already a day off for the players unless they need injury treatment. Then instead of taking the field to install the game plan for the week on Wednesday, players discussed it virtually with the coaches via video conference.
"You just roll with it and react to what you're being told to do and get the work done still and do the best you can," quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "It's similar to how we approached much of the offseason program and training camp. I think it's been handled well, and we'll keep at it."
The biggest burden of the interruption falls on coach Mike Zimmer and his staff.
"Trying to get our work done, trying to get our computers moved, trying to get all our stuff and our preparation ready for the players, it's been a challenge," offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak said on Thursday before the team took the field at TCO Performance Center. "I'll say this: The players have been great, Zim has found a way for us to get that done, and we're catching up today. It's just part of the process. I think everybody knew we were going to face some things like this this year, so you keep a positive attitude and you keep pushing through."
According to head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman, the NFL expected this to happen and there are protocols in place to deal with outbreaks. He called the situation a "case study" in seeing if COVID-19 can spread during NFL games.
Sugarman says the team will return to practice with "very enhanced" protocols. He also cautioned that, despite zero cases, the team is still on high alert because symptoms of the virus can sometimes take several days to appear.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
