The Las Vegas Raiders and Coach Jon Gruden have been fined a total $650,000 and docked a sixth-round draft pick for repeated violations of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols.

A person familiar with the punishment said the team has been fined $500,000, Gruden has been docked $150,000 and the draft pick has been stripped because of how the team handled Trent Brown’s positive coronavirus test last month.

The Raiders are appealing the punishment. The Raiders have been penalized several times already this season for violating coronavirus protocols, with the punishments leading to a total of $1,215,000 for the team, Gruden and players.

While several teams have been fined so far this season, the Raiders are the first to be penalized a draft pick following multiple violations. The latest punishment stems from Brown’s positive test last month when the Raiders were already supposed to be in “intensive” protocols following teammate Damon Arnette’s positive test.

At a practice on Oct. 19, a day before Brown tested positive, he was not wearing a mask as required and didn’t socially distance with teammates. That led to four other starting offensive linemen being placed on the COVID-19 list as “high-risk” contacts. They missed the rest of the practice week before returning the morning of a 45-20 loss to Tampa Bay on Oct. 25.

Safety Johnathan Abram was forced to miss that game because he spent time with Brown the following day, and wasn’t cleared to return until Oct. 26.

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Earlier this season, tight end Darren Waller was fined $30,000 and nine teammates, including quarterback Derek Carr, were fined $15,000 for attending an indoor charity event held by Waller’s foundation that violated local coronavirus protocols. Players were seen at the event not wearing masks or social distancing.

FALCONS: Atlanta canceled practice and worked virtually after a member of the football staff tested positive for COVID-19.

The Falcons said the move was “out of an abundance of caution” while contact tracing is used to determine if anyone else might have been exposed.

The team expects to play Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos.

“The whole reason we’re doing it is to get guys to the game,” Coach Raheem Morris said. “We want to make sure we go through all the precautionary measures to play the game. Everybody wants to play the game. ”

BENGALS: Cincinnati closed its training facility after tackle Fred Johnson and defensive back Trae Waynes tested positive for COVID-19.

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The team said in a statement that players have not been in the facility since Wednesday and will not return until next week. The Bengals have a bye week and don’t play again until Nov. 15.

STEELERS: Pittsburgh Coach Mike Tomlin has been fined $100,000 and the club $250,000 because coaches improperly wore facial coverings last Sunday, a person with knowledge of the fines told The Associated Press.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the fines have not been announced publicly, said Friday that Tomlin and the Steelers were disciplined because members of the coaching staff were “not wearing face coverings at all times on the sidelines.” Tomlin was cited among the coaches not following protocols during the victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

The league has been clamping down on violators of sideline protocols designed to battle COVID-19. The NFL recently told its 32 teams to have all personnel wear masks in lockers rooms and on the sideline when not in the game. Players are required to wear masks during postgame contacts with opponents as well.

DOLPHINS: An unidentified assistant coach tested positive for coronavirus and was quarantined, and receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. went on the reserve/COVID-19 list, but the team plans to play Sunday’s game at Arizona as scheduled.

Because of the coach’s positive test, practice Friday was limited to a walkthrough. Meetings were held via Zoom, and more stringent requirements regarding mask wearing were enforced.

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The Dolphins also ruled out running back Matt Breida (hamstring) for Sunday’s game. Leading rusher Myles Gaskin (knee) went on injured reserve earlier this week, leaving Jordan Howard, Patrick Laird and Salvon Ahmed as the available running backs.

TEXANS: The team returned to its facility, a day after it was closed following a linebacker Jacob Martin’s positive COVID-19 test.

Linebackers Whitney Mercilus and Dylan Cole will also miss Sunday’s game at Jacksonville after the NFL determined they had been in close contact with Martin.

LIONS: With Kenny Golladay and Jamal Agnew battling injuries, Detroit signed a reinforcement at wide receiver, adding Mohamed Sanu to the practice squad.

Sanu appeared in three games with San Francisco earlier this season and had one catch, after being released by the New England Patriots at the end of training camp.

49ERS: Receiver Kendrick Bourne tested negative for COVID-19 for a second straight day, clearing the way for him and close contacts Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel to return to the team.

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Unfortunately for the 49ers, it’s too late to help this week because San Francisco already played Thursday night and lost 34-17 to the Packers.

PACKERS: Green Bay placed linebacker Krys Barnes and reserve quarterback Jordan Love on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Barnes played in the Packers’ 34-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. The Packers announced in the first half that he was out of the game because of a calf injury.

TITANS: Tennessee will be without three-time Pro Bowl punter Brett Kern and wide receiver Adam Humphries on Sunday against the Chicago Bears.

Kern hurt his right wrist late in last week’s 31-20 loss in Cincinnati. He has only missed two games since joining Tennessee in 2009, and ranks fifth in the NFL with an average of 48.3 yards per punt in his 13th season.

Humphries is working his way through the concussion protocol.

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Linebacker Jadeveon Clowney did not practice all week because of an injured knee. He’s questionable for Sunday’s game.

SEAHAWKS: Seattle will be without its top two running backs for the second straight week.

Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde were ruled out for Sunday’s game at Buffalo. Carson continues to be bothered by a foot sprain, while Hyde is dealing with a hamstring injury.

 

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