Jags OL coach George Warhop clears NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 protocols, will be able to be with team vs. Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the teams who’ve been tremendously affected by COVID-19 cases (or situations that have required people to quarantine) as of late, and that will be the case Week 18. They will enter their game against the Indianapolis Colts with nine players on the Reserve/COVID-19, which resulted in them calling up nine players from the practice squad Saturday.

It also appeared the Jags could be without offensive line coach George Warhop due to the league’s COVID-19 protocols as he was deemed unavailable for Sunday’s game on Friday. However, on Sunday morning, the Jags announced that he cleared NFL-NFLPA protocols and will be allowed to take the sideline against the Colts.

While the Jags’ offensive line has been far from perfect, having Warhop on the sideline could be significant because the team is already without their best offensive lineman Brandon Linder and No. 1 left tackle, Cam Robinson. With a rookie, Walker Little, set to replace the latter, going into the finale without Warhop could’ve been viewed as a concern for some, but that no longer is the case.

Warhop has been with the Jags since 2019 and was brought into the organization by former coach Doug Marrone, who he coached while on the London Monarchs’ (NFL Europe) staff.

Had Warhop not been able to coach, the Jags were set to let assistant offensive line coach Todd Washington assume his role for the season finale. Once a former player in the NFL (with Tampa and Houston), Washington has nine years of experience as an NFL assistant, starting with time with the Baltimore Ravens (2011-16) and New York Jets (2019-20).