UNDATED (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have become the first NFL team to have all of its players complete COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Falcons opened training camp with more than 90% of their players vaccinated, and they confirmed Monday they reached 100%. The NFL announced the Falcons were the first team to reach 100%. Atlanta becomes the first team able to have all its players not wear masks around the facility and eat and work out together.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
— The New York Giants have waived-injured third-string quarterback Clayton Thorson and signed former Michigan State star Brian Lewerke. The team announced the moves Monday, just two days after Thorson sustained a concussion while being sacked for a safety late in a 12-7 loss to the Jets.Thorson spent most of the 2020 season on the Giants’ practice squad. Lewerke spent the spring and summer of last season with the New England Patriots.
— Dak Prescott’s opportunity to play in the preseason for the Dallas Cowboys appears to be fading. There’s a chance the start quarterback will go into the opener against Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay without having taken a snap in a game since his severe ankle injury last October. Coach Mike McCarthy says Prescott won’t play in the preseason if he doesn’t get into the home exhibition opener Saturday against Houston. Prescott has a right shoulder injury and McCarthy says the team is being cautious about his return.
— The Detroit Lions are aware of the car accident cornerback Alex Brown was involved in before his release. The 24-year-old South Carolina native has three games of NFL experience with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019. Michigan State Police say the driver of the car that caused the crash was driving the wrong way on a highway in Detroit shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday. Police say its investigation revealed that the 24-year-old male driver from South Carolina was impaired. Police say the passenger in the car going the wrong way as well as another driver were critically injured. The Lions say tight end Charlie Taumoepeau is receiving medical care following injuries sustained from the accident.
— The Browns placed tight end Stephen Carlson on injured reserve after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Saturday night’s exhibition opener at Jacksonville. Carlson juggled a short pass and was turning upfield when he took a hit on the knee along Cleveland’s sideline in the first half. The 24-year-old appeared in all 16 regular-season games for the Browns in 2020 and made two starts.
— Dick Schafrath, a star offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns who blocked for Hall of Fame running backs Jim Brown, Leroy Kelly and Bobby Mitchell before going into politics after retiring, has died at 84. The team said Schafrath died on Sunday night. No cause of death was given. Schafrath was a four-time All-Pro during his career with Cleveland. After he stopped playing in 1971, Schafrath was an assistant coach with Washington on coach George Allen’s staff before entering politics and serving as a state senator in Ohio.
