It appears that three players of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been diagnosed with MRSA. And now the staph infection outbreak is threatening to cancel the Bucs' game against the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday.
On Thursday, the Bucs announced that guard Carl Nicks was diagnosed with the staph infection in his foot. On Friday, cornerback Johnthan Banks was diagnosed. And a third, unidentified player is said to have caught MRSA too, according to sources.
MRSA, which stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is an infection known to be resistant to antibiotics that are used to treat ordinary staph infections. It's sort of a superstaph infection.
Also, pro tip: DO NOT GOOGLE IMAGE MRSA.
The team has been battling MRSA since over the summer, when kicker Lawrence Tynes was diagnosed with it. The Bucs placed Tynes on the non-football injury list. Tynes has been fighting with the team about the decision, because it affects his salary and 401K. The NFLPA filed a grievance on his behalf, citing concerns over the way the Buccaneers have handled the spread of MRSA.
On Friday. Dr. Deverick J. Anderson, codirector of Duke Infection Control Outreach Network, addressed Bucs players and staff.
He stated that the Bucs facilities are safe for players and that the risk there is the same anywhere.
Meanwhile, ESPN's Adam Schefter (via radio host Trey Wingo) reported on Friday that the NFLPA might advise the Bucs and Eagles not to play on Sunday, depending on what further studies say.
NFLPA tells @wingoz that, depending on what MRSA containment report says, the NFLPA could advise Bucs-Eagles not to play this weekend.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 11, 2013
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