The COVID-19 pandemic has sacked the San Francisco 49'ers as new pandemic guidelines instituted by Santa Clara Country -- where the team plays its home games -- ban all contact sports for at least three weeks effective Monday, according to reports.

As a result, the team's Dec. 7 Monday Night Football home game against the Buffalo Bills and its Dec. 13 contest against the Washington Football Team will have to be relocated from its Levi's Stadium home field to another location outside the county, according to ESPN.com. The team will also have to find new practice facilities.

The 49'ers Saturday released a statement saying that it is working with the NFL and partners "on operational plans" going forward. 

The ban also affects operations for the NHL's San Jose Sharks as well as local college football and basketball teams.

The move adds more complications to an NFL schedule significantly altered by the pandemic. The league has had to postpone the Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers Thanksgiving night game twice this week due to increasing positive COVID-19 tests among Ravens players. The game will now be played on Tuesday (Dec. 1)

The league's Ravens-Dallas Cowboys game scheduled for Nov. 3 has also been rescheduled for Dec. 7, according to league officials.

RELATED: Pandemic clouds weekend sports lineup

Epix has picked up the National Hockey League’s documentary series focusing on its January Winter Classic game, sources close to both parties confirmed.

The series, which ran on HBO for four seasons, will now appear on the premium series owned by Lionsgate Entertainment, MGM and Paramount Pictures. The network is expected to produce four documentary segments leading up the Jan. 1 outdoor game between the Washington Capitals and the Chicago Blackhawks, said sources.

Epix will also produce a four-segment series leading into the Stadium Series game Feb. 21 at Levi’s Field between the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings, according to sources.

Epix officials declined to comment on the matter and NHL officials could not be reached for comment.

HBO recently released a statement regarding its decision not to continue its 24/7 NHL Classic series: "Everybody at HBO enjoyed working with the NHL and its teams on 24/7 the past four years. It was an exciting endeavor and we’re very proud of the never-before-seen presentation of the world of hockey that 24/7 was able to capture. There was never an expectation that HBO would chronicle the lead-up to the Winter Classic every year. So we will not be involved with the NHL this season. We wish the NHL the very best and the door will always remain open."