On Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers placed offensive tackle Jared Veldheer on the reserve/COVID-19 list. ESPN’s Field Yates reports that Veldheer did indeed test positive for the coronavirus, so there is no chance he will be able to suit up for Green Bay’s divisional-round battle with the Los Angeles Rams. This is unfortunate for several reasons, as Veldheer was set to make NFL history this Saturday by playing for two different teams in a single postseason.
After spending the bulk of the 2020 regular season without a team, Veldheer signed with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad in December. He was then called up in time for the Colts’ wild-card matchup with the Buffalo Bills, a game which the Colts ended up losing, 27-24, this past Saturday. Because Veldheer was technically on the Colts practice squad — and was simply elevated through the NFL‘s special protocols to give teams flexibility during the ongoing pandemic — he reverted back to the practice squad at the conclusion of the game. That quirk made it possible for him to sign with another team still fighting in the postseason.
If the Packers defeat the Rams this weekend, then Veldheer will have a chance to make NFL history in the NFC Championship Game. The 6-foot-8 tackle was originally a third-round draft choice by the Raiders back in 2010 and bounced around the league over the last decade, making stops with the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots the Packers in 2019 and — of course — the Colts.
