The NFL is expected to hand down hefty disciplinary penalties to the New Orleans Saints for COVID-19 protocol violations after their big win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The New Orleans Saints are facing significant discipline for not wearing masks during their postgame celebrations last Sunday night — as seen in videos they posted to social media, including the team's own Twitter account — after their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, league sources tell ESPN.
Videos of the Saints celebrating their huge 38-3 victory over the Buccaneers surfaced on social media. Several players were not wearing masks as the celebration went on in the locker room. The NFL saw the clips, and now it seems like the club will have to pay for their non-compliance.
According to Schefter, New Orleans is facing penalties similar to those incurred by the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this season for violating COVID-19 protocols. That means fines and the loss of draft capital:
The Saints are facing stiff fines and the loss of a draft pick, similar to the action the NFL took against the Raiders earlier this month, when Las Vegas was fined $500,000, head coach Jon Gruden was fined $150,000 and the franchise was stripped of a sixth-round pick for COVID-19 protocol violations.
New Orleans was already fined a quarter of a million dollars and head coach Sean Payton $100,000 in their Week 2 loss in Las Vegas. Now, given that they are repeat offenders, a heavier penalty is almost certainly on the way for these new violations.
This is certainly a bummer for the organization, especially after such a huge win over Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. Nonetheless, despite this looming penalty, New Orleans will look to secure win No. 7 on the season against the 4-5 San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
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