Kareem Jackson: NFL Made an Example of Broncos by Not Rescheduling Saints Game

The Denver Broncos never had a chance against the New Orleans Saints with all their quarterbacks ineligible because of COVID-19 concerns, and safety Kareem Jackson believes the NFL might have attempted to send the team a message by not moving the game.  

Jeff Legwold of ESPN shared Jackson's comments, which came after the Saints' 31-3 win:

"I feel like maybe [the game] could have been moved, but at the same time, maybe the league was making an example of us as far as maybe not doing the things we needed to do in that particular room, that quarterback room. Obviously the guys didn't follow their protocols and for [the NFL] to see that I guess they felt like they had to make an example. So at the end of day, it is what it is. 

" ... Obviously it's our guys' fault for not wearing their masks, but at least maybe move the game to the next day or whenever, so we're given a fighting chance. [It's] obviously disappointing. I'm not sure why it wasn't moved. I have no clue ... as a competitor [it is] definitely frustrating.''

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Broncos asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to move the game to Tuesday, which is something that has been done multiple times this year for teams that have experienced a COVID-19 outbreak, but he denied the requests.

What's more, the league told the Broncos they could not start offensive quality control coach Rob Calabrese at quarterback because it wants to prevent a situation in which teams could store potential players on the coaching staff.

With Calabrese off the table, the Broncos turned to practice squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton at quarterback since he played the position at Wake Forest. They also mixed in direct snaps to running backs Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay.

Hinton went 1-of-9 for 13 yards and two interceptions for a Broncos offense that finished with 112 total yards.

Legwold explained Jeff Driskel tested positive for COVID-19, while fellow quarterbacks Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles were deemed high-risk close contacts after they didn't wear masks or socially distance at the facility.

"I was disappointed on a couple levels that our quarterbacks put us in this position, that our quarterbacks put the league in that position, we count on them to be the leaders of the team, the leaders of the offense, and those guys made a mistake and that is disappointing," head coach Vic Fangio said. "Obviously, I haven't done a good enough job of selling the protocols to them when they're on their own ... There was a failing there and that's disappointing."

The result was a blowout loss—and, if Jackson is to be believed, perhaps a lesson learned from a league looking to send a message.