The National Football League (NFL) has stringent guidelines and policies against COVID-19 and gives severe sanctions for teams and players violating these. Carolina Panthers reportedly broke the league's protocol. 

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Carolina Panthers players react after recovering the ball when Chad Beebe #12 of the Minnesota Vikings muffed a punt return in the fourth quarter of the game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

NFL has experienced a COVID-19 outbreak in the previous weeks that forced them to give severe sanctions to teams and players.

Even though the sports league is trying to implement its COVID-19 health and safety protocols, there are still teams who violated it.  

Read also: Team Executives Reject NFL's COVID-19 Policy 

Carolina Panthers Violated COVID-19 Protocol

The Carolina Panthers placed eight of its players under the reserve list. These players have either tested positive for the virus or have been exposed to someone in or outside the field who is positive for the infectious and deadly COVID-19. 

Joe Person of The Athletic wrote on his Twitter account: "Dr. Allen Sills, NFL's chief medical officer, says Panthers' COVID transmission was linked back 'to some gathering of players outside the team facility' during the bye week." 

That means the virus outbreak in the team is linked to some large gatherings outside the group. It is still unclear if the team initiated the gathering, or if players facilitated it, or someone attended large gatherings.

However, whichever is true among these, what is clear is that the players or the team, in general, violated COVID-19 protocol. 

Possible Sanction of Carolina Panthers

According to a published report in Yard Barker, Carolina Panthers could face severe sanctions similar to Las Vegas Raiders, which earlier violated the NFL's health and safety protocol guidelines. These sanctions could hardly hit the team as they are now heading into Week 14. 

The possible sanctions that the NFL may give to the Carolina Panthers include a fine of $500,000 and docked a 2021 NFL Draft pick. The NFL has yet to make a decision, but these were the sanctions given to Las Vegas Raiders when they violated the protocols. 

NFL Struggles this Season 

NFL is now heading to Week 14, but the league continues to address COVID-19 issues, most especially in implementing its COVID-19 guidelines to the teams and players. 

Multiple games have already been postponed due to the COVID-19 violations. 

Despite the guidelines that the NFL is currently implementing, there is a tension that emerged among the teams' executives about the competitive balance issue. 

It can be remembered that Latin Post reported that one team executive said: "I don't give a damn if you have to move offensive players to defense or whatever to fill a team. I just disagree (with postponing Baltimore's game). They are making adjustments for one team, and it just seems way out of bounds because everybody else is getting hammered."

The statement was released after Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Dez Bryant tested positive for COVID-19 mere minutes before his team's game against the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday. Bryant ended up being a late scratch and has since opted to end his season.

To address the concern of some executives, the NFL assured everyone that there would be an investigation about the recent incident of the Baltimore Ravens.