Earlier Wednesday, the NFL took the Ravens-Steelers rematch off its Thanksgiving schedule. That game is now on tap for 12:15pm CT Sunday. More is emerging on why the Steelers will see another of their games delayed. The Ravens disciplined a strength and conditioning coach for “conduct surrounding the recent COVID-19 cases that have affected players and staff.” The Ravens are levying the discipline because the unnamed staffer did not report symptoms or consistently wear a mask or a contact tracing device, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). This is believed to have contributed to the Ravens’ outbreak — one that comes nearly two months after a Titans outbreak altered the Steelers’ schedule. Seven Ravens players and at least five staffers have tested positive for COVID. This will not only weaken Baltimore against Pittsburgh but potentially deplete team’s roster for its Week 13 Thursday game against Dallas.
Several teams shuffled their rosters because of COVID on Wednesday. Here is the latest:
- 49ers left tackle Trent Williams tested positive for COVID-19 last week, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano (on Twitter). A cancer survivor, Williams has not experienced issues with the virus yet, Graziano tweets. Williams, who landed on the 49ers’ COVID list earlier this month as a high-risk close contact, is on track to miss San Francisco’s Week 12 game in Los Angeles.
- Six players remain on San Francisco’s virus list. The 49ers removed Arik Armstead and center Hroniss Grasu on Wednesday.
- Browns linebacker Sione Takitaki tested positive Wednesday, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com (on Twitter). Takitaki played against the Eagles and returned an interception for a touchdown. The Cleveland starting linebacker’s positive test follows Myles Garrett‘s. Neither they nor Denzel Ward (injury) will be available for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars. The Browns closed their facility Wednesday, but their Jags game remains on schedule.
- The Bengals placed wide receiver Auden Tate and recently acquired offensive lineman B.J. Finney on their reserve/COVID-19 list. Cincinnati has seen staffers test positive, with D-line coach Nick Eason being the most recent. Eason was alerted of his positive test Tuesday. The Bengals now have five players on their reserve/COVID list.
- Christian Wilkins is off the Dolphins‘ COVID list. Wilkins was not reported to have tested positive, but the second-year defensive lineman still missed two games after landing on the team’s virus list.
- The Raiders activated Cory Littleton from their COVID list. The high-profile free agent addition has been out for two weeks due to a positive coronavirus test. Las Vegas’ defense remains shorthanded due to virus issues, with Clelin Ferrell testing positive last week and Lamarcus Joyner missing Sunday’s Chiefs game because of his status as a close contact.
- Dante Fowler also tested positive two weeks ago and missed the Falcons‘ Week 11 game, but the big-ticket free agent addition is off the list now and on course to return to Atlanta’s lineup Sunday.
- The Vikings and Chargers also removed players from their respective virus lists Wednesday. Minnesota activated guard Dru Samia; Los Angeles activated cornerback Brandon Facyson.
“the unnamed staffer did not report symptoms or consistently wear a mask or a contact tracing device, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). This is believed to have contributed to the Ravens’ outbreak”
Instead of denying that a pandemic level respiratory disease is real and refusing to wear marks couldn’t they deny that blunt force trauma is real and refuse to wear seat belts instead?
Seat belts. That’s the real tyranny.
You seem to be making a huge assumption that dumb people only do one dumb thing.
It’s a long shot, but I’d like to try to shift Darwinism back to more of an individual risk, rather than a global one.
You typed all of that , to say that ? Oh my !
Sounds like a deliberate act by an employee of the Ravens organization. Why should the Steelers be punished by jacking with their schedule when other teams can’t control their people? The Ravens forfeit and the Steelers get a bye week. Better than the Steelers play the Ravens on Sunday and end up with sick players afterwards.
This ^^^^^^^^^
How many Vikings tested positive after the Titans game? ZERO
Ravens forfeit the game or play it. If the coach can’t control the players take the punishment
It’s a highly contagious viral disease. Wait til Sunday and calm down. Otherwise the Steelers would have to play in that game when you don’t know if it is spreading. How dumb would it be to then have to forfeit their perfect season next week for the same stupid logic. Stop posting this nonsense.
Good point!
It’s my east coast bias, but seeing:
“That game is now on tap for 12:15pm CT Sunday”
initially threw me for a loop until I noticed the “CT”. Living in NY, I never see it as 12 CT for a football game start time.
Do you suppose the NFL will punish the Ravens? Or is that only reserved for the Raiders?
And don’t give me that the S&C coach had blatant disregard. If there were systems in place the guy would be wearing a mask, and the players wouldn’t be working near him if he didn’t. And clearly they’re not checking for symptoms.
Just announced that Lamar Jackson has tested positive.
They simply are trying to do everything they can this week to not play the Steelers! The NFL made the miners play and the raiders play with many cases. If you can’t stay out of harms way you forfeit the game or play with guys off the street. Vanderbilt has to play with a female kicker this week!
The Raiders were stripped of a draft pick and had to lose a game this week because they had to use practice squad guys. I am not a a Raiders fan but it is what it is.
Play with healthy players off the street or forfeit the game.