The Eagles had a plan in place in case Doug Pederson or any other coach tested positive for coronavirus | Early Birds
"I think there has to be a plan in place for any coach or any staff member that may miss a couple days or a couple weeks because of the virus," the coach said last week.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/ILCZH64PLRCODHDGZSVJZYUWYU.jpg)
The idea that a coach could be sidelined by a positive coronavirus test had occurred to the Eagles, before head coach Doug Pederson found himself in that situation over the weekend.
When Pederson spoke with reporters last week, he was asked about just this topic.
“I’ve thought about that quite a bit, the closer I got here to camp and being in the building. We have to have a plan for everything, as you know,” said Pederson, who said he feels the Eagles can draw from the way they have adjusted to the loss of injured starters over the last several seasons. “We’ve coached that next guy, or that next player has been able to go in and perform at a high level, but now I think that has to carry over to the coaching staff. ... I think there has to be a plan in place for any coach or any staff member that may miss a couple days or a couple weeks because of the virus.”
Assistant head coach and running backs coach Duce Staley will take over Pederson’s duties at the NovaCare Complex, but really, Pederson will still be in charge. Most work is still being done remotely.
How long will Pederson be sidelined? Obviously, if he encounters symptoms, there is no way to know, but since the Eagles say he is currently asymptomatic, if that continues to be the case, he can either wait 10 days, or he can get back to the facility in five days by testing negative twice, with 24 hours between the tests. Then the Eagles’ head physician would have to consult with the league, but that presumably would be a formality.
Pederson’s positive test, along with that of right tackle Lane Johnson, isn’t the end of the world, but as with what has happened in Major League Baseball, it illustrates the problems that are bound to come up when you can’t totally “bubble” everyone, the way the NBA and the NHL have. Pederson extolled the Eagles’ precautions, even proclaimed that the team was in its “NovaCare bubble,” but it isn’t much of a bubble if it has a hole in it, for everyone to go home at night.
Whether the NFL can tiptoe through six months like this and make it to the Super Bowl with key players and coaches able to participate remains a big question.
Meanwhile, if you like what you’re reading, tell your friends it’s free to sign up here. I want to know what you think, what we should add, and what you want to read, so send me feedback by email or on Twitter @lesbowen.
— Les Bowen (earlybirds@inquirer.com)
Self-quarantining
Casey Toohill, the Eagles’ seventh-round rookie defensive end, spoke with reporters via Zoom on Sunday about life as a rookie in the year of the coronavirus. So much is different for this group — from not getting preseason games to work with their new teammates, to being told to limit their interactions off the field. Toohill was asked if he has given any thought to what life will be like when the season starts, if he’ll try to have his family visit, as rookies usually do.
“You’ve really got to stay in your own little bubble. I’d love to see my family. If that’s permitted, and time permits, that’s something I’ll try to do,” Toohill said. “But besides that, really, not much. I’m going to try to follow the guidelines, follow the rules, so we can have a season. That’s the most important part.”
Toohill was asked how the rookies — sequestered at a hotel near NovaCare — spend their evenings right now.
“There’s bonding, whether it’s at dinner or wherever. ... But mostly it’s just been a lot of mental work. At the end of the night, either after dinner or after meetings, just recovery work, getting ready for the next day.”
What you need to know about the Eagles
This is the story of the day, no question, crafted by E.J. Smith: Doug Pederson is at home after two positive coronavirus tests.
If the coach hadn’t tested positive, this would be the story of the day, by Paul Domowitch, about Duce Staley, who will be leading the team at NovaCare while Pederson recovers. It’s an interesting twist for a coach who probably deserves a permanent shot at something like this.
Maybe you think you’ve read everything there is to read about the Eagles’ drafting of Jalen Hurts, but our man Domo is intent on proving you wrong.
Jeff McLane assays the budding Carson Wentz-Jalen Hurts relationship, an important factor in the Eagles’ quarterback room.
Andre Dillard and Jason Peters are the nexus of speculation about the Eagles’ offensive line, but at NovaCare, they get strong backing.
From the mailbag
“Have the Eagles said what they are doing with position group meetings? Do they do those remote or at least split the position group meetings up between two groups in case of an outbreak? — @BCSinReverse on Twitter
BC, position meetings continue to be held via the internet. Not sure if that will be the case when real practice starts. Everyone is masked and supposedly distanced, so it would be tough to use the meeting rooms as constructed. I’m sure they’ve figured out ways to gather groups in an approved manner. The real danger of transmission within the team, as I see it, is when they’re on the field. I mean, sometimes in Jim Schwartz’s defense it LOOKS like the corners are trying to socially distance from receivers, but I’m told that is not the case.