LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears have placed veteran pass-rusher Robert Quinn on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced Tuesday afternoon.
Quinn tested positive for COVID-19, a source told ESPN’s Field Yates. If Quinn is asymptomatic and is vaccinated, he would be able to return once he produces two negative tests 24 hours apart. If he is vaccinated and develops symptoms, he would be able to return once he produces two negative tests 24 hours apart and is asymptomatic for 48 hours. If he is unvaccinated, he would have to quarantine for a minimum of 10 days.
After a sluggish first season in Chicago where he recorded just two sacks in 16 games, Quinn is off to a tremendous start in 2021.
Through six games, Quinn, who signed a free-agent deal with the Bears two springs ago that guaranteed $30 million dollars, already has 5.5 sacks (9th in the NFL) and a forced fumble.
Quinn and Khalil Mack (six sacks) are the top pass rushing duo in the league in terms of combined sacks.
“He’s a max effort guy, and so his ability to do it for the number of plays that he’s able to do it, at this stage of his career, is impressive for me,” Bears outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey said about Quinn on Monday.
“I think he’s doing a really good job this season of taking care of his body, especially in between games when he has a pretty high rep count.”
The timing of Quinn going on the COVID-19 list is particularly bad since the Bears (3-3) face Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers (5-1) on Sunday in Tampa.