Vic Fangio learning amid NFL’s latest COVID-19 schedule changes: ‘You see who the whiners are’
Vic Fangio isn’t as disappointed by the NFL’s latest COVID-19-related schedule changes as one might think.
Sure, the Denver Broncos head coach would much rather be playing New England on Monday afternoon, something the league postponed for the second time after another positive coronavirus test within the Patriots organization on Sunday.
The sudden changes, though, are showing him a lot about people’s character.
“In a weird way, I’m kind of happy to see some of this stuff happen because you see who the whiners are … and who can’t handle adversity,” Fangio said Sunday, via the Associated Press. “And I’m going to try hard that the Denver Broncos don’t fall into any of those categories.”
Fangio: ‘It very easily could have been flipped around’
The Broncos were just one of several teams hit with schedule changes on Sunday. The game against New England, which was already delayed to Monday afternoon, will now be played next Sunday (Oct. 18).
The Broncos’ game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11 was also moved to Week 8, and their game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 6 was pushed to Week 11.
Several Denver players were extremely upset by the news, too, especially since the positive tests weren’t in their locker room.
Ain’t no way we practiced all week and they canceled our game
— F L ⚡️ S H (@Melvingordon25) October 11, 2020
Mann we ain’t even do anything
— Bradley Chubb (@astronaut) October 11, 2020
Why are we getting punished when we did nothing wrong. Pats go on a bye next week and we are stuck on a short week playing the dolphins help it make sense
— Shelby Harris (@ShelbyHarris93) October 8, 2020
This whole practice all bye week thing is not ideal for a non ota, injury at an all time high season
— Shelby Harris (@ShelbyHarris93) October 11, 2020
“My message to them and to anybody is we were inconvenienced by this, but it very easily could have been flipped around to where we had the positive tests and the Patriots were inconvenienced by it,” Fangio said, via the Associated Press.
“So, I’m happy that the positive tests weren’t in our building. But I’m under no illusion that at some point we might have a positive test or two and be the cause of a game getting moved down the road.”
Fangio isn’t going to waste his time pointing fingers, either.
In order for the NFL to finish its season amid the pandemic this fall, he knows the responsibility falls on everyone’s shoulders.
“We compete like hell on Sundays to beat each other, but ultimately, we’re all in this thing together,” he said, via the Associated Press. “It doesn’t matter who’s at fault or who had the positive test. We all just have to deal with it.”
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