The Kansas City Chiefs added a player to the reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday.
According to the NFL’s official transaction report, the Chiefs placed rookie DE Mike Danna on the reserve/COVID-19 list. If you’ll recall, players that are placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list do not have to test positive for the virus, they can simply be deemed high-risk close contacts to someone who tested positive. If Danna is a high-risk close contact, he has to spend five days on the list without a positive test before he’s able to be removed from the list.
Chiefs strength and conditioning coach Barry Rubin reportedly tested positive for the COVID-19 just yesterday. It’s possible that Danna was deemed a high-risk close contact with Rubin. It’s also possible that this is an entirely separate instance as COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the country.
Danna played in the Chiefs’ Week 17 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He’s considered the No. 2 right defensive end on the Chiefs’ depth chart. His absence would leave the Chiefs with Frank Clark, Tanoh Kpassagnon, Alex Okafor and Tim Ward at the defensive end position.
Thankfully, the Chiefs don’t play a game this week and have ample time leading up to the divisional round to get Danna back. He’s been one of the standout rookie defenders on the team, recording 25 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and six quarterback hits in 13 games played this season.
