Tyrann Mathieu activated from COVID-19 list ahead of Week 1, is considered a game-time decision
The Kansas City Chiefs got positive news Saturday. All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu was activated from the reserve/COVID list prior to the team's Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns.
Mathieu is cleared to participate in the game, but it's unclear whether he'll play. The Chiefs reportedly want to monitor Mathieu after he missed practice all week, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
#Chiefs announce Tyrann Mathieu has been activated from the COVID-19 list. However, sounds like they still want to monitor him before tomorrow. He’s been idle for over a week, so we’ll see what his status winds up being vs. the #Browns.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 11, 2021
Getting Mathieu back would give the Chiefs defense a significant boost prior to the game against the Browns. Mathieu turned in a fantastic season in 2020, picking off 6 passes and registering 62 tackles. That performance earned him his third trip to the Pro Bowl and his second selection to the All-Pro team.
Tyrann Mathieu missed 10 days due to COVID-19 list
Mathieu was placed on the reserve/COVID list Sep. 1. He spent 10 days there before being activated Saturday.
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Mathieu is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and could have returned to action sooner if he turned in two negative COVID tests 24 hours apart. That apparently didn't happen until Saturday, putting Mathieu in a difficult spot for Sunday's game.
Though Mathieu missed time in the Chiefs' facility, he was able to attend virtual meetings while on the COVID list. Mathieu should know how the Chiefs want to approach the Browns defensively, so his presence in Sunday's game could depend on his conditioning following his time away from the team.
