Los Angeles Chargers' Joey Bosa, Jerry Tillery placed in NFL's COVID-19 protocol

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Chargers might be missing a pair of important defensive players going into Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after linemen Joey Bosa and Jerry Tillery entered the league's reserve/COVID-19 protocol on Tuesday.

Bosa is tied for the league lead with three strip-sacks and has 5.5 sacks this season. He has a sack in two straight games and three of the past four.

Tilley has started eight games and is third on the team with eight quarterback hits. He also has 2.5 sacks.

It wasn't immediately clear whether either player is vaccinated or if either tested positive.

If a player is vaccinated and tested positive, he needs two negative tests 24 hours apart as long as he's asymptomatic for 48 hours in order to play.

If unvaccinated and positive, the player is out a minimum of 10 days and then can return if asymptomatic. If the player tests positive and is deemed a close contact, the players must miss at least five days and can return with a negative test after the five days expire.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.