Alvin Kamara has tested positive for COVID-19 and could now miss the first playoff game for the New Orleans Saints , and a tweet claims that he may have gone out clubbing before receiving his positive test.
As USA Today reported, the Saints running back has been placed on the COVID-19 reserve list, meaning he won’t be able to play on Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Carolina Panthers and putting him in danger of missing the first playoff game. The Saints could potentially move into the top seed in the NFC with a win and losses from both the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.
Kamara has been one of the most versatile weapons in the NFL this year, amassing 932 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns to go along with 756 receiving yards and another five touchdown receptions. He notched six total touchdowns and a career-high 155 rushing yards in last week’s win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Immediately after the news broke, there were allegations that Kamara was spotted going out without a mask in the days after the win. A picture circulated on social media claiming to show him at a nightclub, posing next to a group of people whose faces were blurred out.
It was not clear whether there was any truth to the allegation. Though the social media image appeared to be dated December 26, there was no proof that it was taken that day, and those sharing it did not link directly to a post where the allegations could be verified. Kamara has not yet released a statement.
Alvin Kamara has been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list pic.twitter.com/vCWfL8oo26
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 1, 2021
The photo was shared across social media and posted by Pro Sports Extra , leading to some backlash among some fans who believed that he was putting the Saints season in jeopardy. It remained unclear whether the positive test would keep him out of the first game should they not earn an opening-round bye.
While it was not yet clear whether the allegations against Kamara were true, a number of professional athletes have found themselves in trouble for failing to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines this year. The Washington Football Team cut ties with former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins after footage emerged showing the quarterback not wearing a mask while attending a birthday party for his girlfriend in the hours after his Week 15 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
As the New York Post noted, Haskins was fined $40,000 for the incident, which was his second breach of COVID-19 protocol. Before parting ways with him, the team also stripped the 23-year-old of his captaincy.