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Drew Lock, Brett Rypien, Blake Bortles cleared to practice after 5 consecutive negative COVID tests: Report

By George Stoia December 1, 2020 | updated 5 years ago

Broncos starting quarterback Drew Lock, backup Brett Rypien and practice squad QB Blake Bortles have been cleared to return to team activities after five straight days of testing negative for COVID-19, according to 9News’ Mike Klis.

Lock, Rypien and Bortles were all deemed as “high-risk close contacts” after briefly not wearing their masks around third-string quarterback Jeff Driskel on Nov. 24. Driskel tested positive Thursday and the league ruled the other three ineligible Saturday. The Broncos, who played undrafted rookie practice squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton at quarterback, predictably lost to the Saints 31-3 on Sunday. 

On Monday, coach Vic Fangio said the quarterbacks tested negative Monday and that “If they’re negative again (Tuesday), then they’re allowed to rejoin as normal. They’ll be continually tested every day just like everybody else.”

And Tuesday, President and CEO Joe Ellis released a statement saying that he, Fangio and President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway met virtually to discuss how they could “step it up” with COVID protocols as an organization moving forward. 

“The players have stuck together and done a tremendous job facing adversity with a positive mindset. That was never more clear than on Sunday against the Saints,” Ellis said. “It’s a team effort — players, coaches and staff. We will learn from this and be ready for the challenge of facing the Chiefs in front of a national audience on ‘Sunday Night Football’.” 

Denver Broncos ask why wasn’t the game postponed after 31-3 loss to Saints

The organization has taken a fair amount of criticism over the past few days for not enforcing stricter guidelines, but Lock has taken the most heat as some people outside the Broncos have questioned his leadership. 

Before the game, Lock issued an apology on social media saying “we let our masking slip for a limited amount of time. An honest mistake, but one I will own.” After the game, Lock’s teammates stuck up for him, saying they still support him and the other quarterbacks. Fangio, who said Sunday he was disappointed in all of his QBs, was asked Monday if his trust in Lock has wavered. 

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“I don’t think so. I mean, yeah, we’re all disappointed that it happened,” Fangio said. “It’s not just Drew — I know Drew’s getting the bulk of it because he’s the starter — but there was four of them in there and you’d like for one of them to take the lead and make sure that they’re spaced out far enough. But again, it’s just like with my kids. My kids have done things that have disappointed me during their upbringings, but I still love them and I still love Drew and all the quarterbacks. They made a mistake that we’re ready to move past.”

Drew Lock issues apology for Broncos’ COVID issues, says ‘we let our masking slip for a limited amount of time’

Lock’s mom defended her son on Twitter on Monday, releasing a statement that further explained the situation and that stated the “shame” should not be placed on her son, but elsewhere. 

“As a parent, an educator, a friend, a co-worker, a boss — using people to make an example of a situation is wrong,” she wrote. “The NFL used one of their own as an example — this is where the shame is.” 

Now that Lock, Rypien and Bortles are able to return to full-team activities, the Broncos should be with at least one quarterback Sunday at Kansas City, unless one was to test positive this week and the others were not to wear masks, again. But just as insurance, the Broncos signed Kyle Shurmur — offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s son — as an emergency backup Monday. Shurmur was most recently on the Chiefs’ roster. 

The Broncos will face the Chiefs at 6:20 p.m. Sunday in Kansas City, Mo., on NBC. 

Woody Paige: Broncos tried, but multilevel mess should never have happened

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