Fully Vaccinated Bucs Kicker Tests Positive For COVID, Out This Weekend

Ryan Succop, veteran placekicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is now inactive for the final game of the preseason against the Houston Texans. The kicker is still slated to start on Sept. 9 against the Dallas Cowboys for the Bucs' first matchup of the regular season.

The "Mr. Irrelevant" pick of 2009 was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, spent six seasons with the Tennessee Titans and then signed with the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and went on to win a Super Bowl.

Reports following Succop's positive test indicate that the player may have caught it from Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel after meeting up to shoot the breeze with his former boss.

The two crossed paths in a preseason contest last Saturday between the Titans and the Bucs and met up at a restaurant after the game. On Sunday, Mike Vrabel announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 after having "mild symptoms." The coach also underwent a monoclonal antibody infusion treatment meant to mitigate any effects from the virus. Both the coach and Succop have officially been fully vaxxed.

Bucs head coach Bruce Arians, who's been militant with promoting full vaccination status among his team, spoke on the potential tracing between Succop and Vrabel with the media following Wednesday's practice.

"All contacts were outside. We had one that went to dinner with some guys that did test positive today," announced the head coach. "He went to dinner with some Titans friends. That was Ryan Succop. So he's out for this game." 

For added precaution, the coach announced that he will no longer permit players to leave their hotels during visiting contests, regardless of vaccination status.

"There's league rules ... then there's my rules. ... I don't give a crap if they're vaccinated or not. They're not going anywhere."

Follow along on Twitter: @AlejandroAveela