Raiders Announcer Lincoln Kennedy Would Play The 2nd and 3rd Stringers This Week vs Tampa
Oct 23, 2020, 3:42 PM | Updated: 3:52 pm
The former Raider joined The Jason Ross and Doug Christie Show to discuss the recent COVID-19 developments within the Raiders organization and much more
Former Oakland Raider and current broadcaster Lincoln Kennedy joined The Jason Ross and Doug Christie Show on Friday to discuss the most recent developments regarding the Las Vegas Raiders and their upcoming game on Sunday.
After right tackle Trent Brown tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, four other members of the offensive line had to be placed on the COVID-19 reserve list for quarantine purposes.
While it’s possible that the players could all be cleared prior to Sunday’s game, it could be a very interesting game against Tampa Bay.
The 1:05pm PST start time was originally supposed to be a prime-time Sunday night affair before the league flexed the time to earlier in the day.
“I wish it wasn’t (at 1:05pm), and the reason why is that I don’t feel comfortable with the probability of four out of five of my normal starters just being isolated in their houses for the last five days and ask them to go out and play a football game,” Kennedy said.
“My sources have told me that the NFL said that they were not going to reward bad behavior. That bad behavior belonged to Trent Brown not wearing his (COVID-19) tracing bracelet around the facility. When he tested positive, they had to take every precaution and people that they know that he is around frequently, they had to be sent home.”
Head coach Jon Gruden will have some decisions to make if those affected by the COVID-19 ramifications are unable to suit up on Sunday. Kennedy made it clear that the Raiders should proceed with caution against Tampa Bay.
“The fact is, you have got guys sitting on the couch right now. I wouldn’t ask them to play if they came back in time,” he said. “I wouldn’t play them if they came back in time because I would be worried about them injuring themselves. To be honest with you guys, the mindset needs to be to treat this game like a preseason game. Play your two’s (second-string) and three’s (third-string). Don’t risk your franchise quarterback.
“If you lose Derek Carr, the season is lost.”
When asked if he thought that Gruden would opt to bench his starters, Kennedy noted that the Raiders heach coach is too competitive to do so.
“No,” Kennedy answered. “Jon Gruden is too much of a competitor, Derek Carr is too much of a competitor, they won’t allow them to sit. It’s just my view and logic.”
Over the course of the interview, Kennedy goes on to breakdown why he thinks that the Raiders should bench their starters on Sunday, how he doesn’t know if Trent Brown wants to be in Las Vegas and much more.
Listen to the entire interview by clicking the ‘play’ button on the audio file located at the top of the post.
