Broncos' Vic Fangio 'disappointed' in quarterbacks over COVID violations
The Broncos used a practice squad wide receiver as their QB on Sunday
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Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio didn’t mince words when talking about his quarterbacks who were all ruled ineligible for the team’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
Drew Lock, Jeff Driskel, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles were all found to be in violation of the NFL’s coronavirus safety protocols forcing the team to go with wide receiver Kendall Hinton as the starter against the Saints. Needless to say, on such short notice, the chemistry just wasn’t there for the team or for the quarterback who hadn’t thrown a pass since his college days.
BRONCOS’ DREW LOCK APOLOGIZES FOR NOT WEARING MASK: 'AN HONEST MISTAKE, BUT ONE I WILL OWN'
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Denver Broncos quarterback Kendall Hinton (2) throws against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Fangio addressed the Broncos’ COVID debacle after the game.
“I was disappointed on several levels that our quarterbacks put us in that position, that our quarterbacks put the league in that position. We count on them to be the leaders of our team, the leaders of our offense, and those guys made a mistake,” Fangio said, according to The Athletic.
“I haven't done a good enough job of selling the protocols to them when they're on their own. That's on me.”
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HILL LEADS SAINTS TO 31-3 ROUT OF QB-CHALLENGED BRONCOS
Hinton was 1-for-9 with 13 passing yards in the pinch.
The Broncos are under investigation by the NFL for possibly violating the league’s safety protocols, ESPN reported.
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The four quarterbacks weren’t wearing their masks the whole time they were together on Wednesday as required by the league’s pandemic protocols – just a day before Driskel tested positive, the Associated Press reported.
The league is coming down on violators. Multiple reports on Sunday said the NFL had fined the Saints $500,000 and docked them a 2021 seventh-round draft pick for breaking safety protocols. The New England Patriots were also fined $350,000.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj and the Associated Press contributed to this report