NFL teams
Chris Mortensen, NFL reporter 11y

Bucs treated facility for MRSA

NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have recently treated their facility in an effort to erase any existence of MRSA, a serious staph infection that has sidelined Pro Bowl guard Carl Nicks and resulted in place-kicker Lawrence Tynes having surgery this week on an infected toe, general manager Mark Dominik confirmed to ESPN.

Doctors diagnosed Nicks and Tynes as each having contracted MRSA, a powerful bacteria resistant to penicillin-type treatment. Nicks recently revealed he had a staph infection to his toe that would sideline him indefinitely. Bucs head athletic trainer Todd Toriscelli also has battled an infection since having offseason knee surgery, but he was not diagnosed with MRSA.

"We had a company come in and nuke the building a week ago after the cultures taken from Nicks and Tynes confirmed it was MRSA," Dominik said. "It was a precautionary move, but we didn't want to fool with it. Our owners said spare no expense. We had the facility treated, and the league office approved of our actions."

The NFL Players Association has been monitoring the extent of MRSA existence within the Bucs facility. Dominik said coach Greg Schiano informed staff and players of the MRSA problem last week.

"Our primary concern is always the health and safety of our players and staff," Dominik added in a statement. "Our players were informed of the situation and we sought the advice of experts, including the NFL's medical advisor, who provided counsel and approved of our comprehensive measures including the treatment of our practice facility."

The Bucs signed place-kicker Rian Lindell on the same day Tynes had his surgery, in which the infection was scraped from his toe and his toe bone.

Tynes sought a second opinion after what originally was identified as an ingrown toenail failed to heal and became infected. Doctors at the New York Hospital for Special Surgery confirmed a diagnosis of MRSA.

Tynes has not participated in training camp, and with Lindell's signing, the Bucs have three kickers on the roster.

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