After eight members of the Titans tested positive for COVID-19 following Sunday’s game against the Vikings and an additional player tested positive in the latest round of testing, Tennessee’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday has been postponed.
The game is expected to be played on either Monday or Tuesday, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.
In all, four Tennessee players — including starting nose tackle DaQuan Jones, long-snapper Beau Brinkley and practice squad tight end Tommy Hudson — have tested positive for the coronavirus and been placed on the COVID-19 reserve list. The Titans have also closed their team facilities until Saturday. The Vikings, who played the Titans on Sunday, have not had any positive tests thus far.
In a statement, the NFL confirmed that playing the game on Monday or Tuesday is an option that is being considered.
How the NFL handles this situation will set a precedent for how future positive COVID-19 tests throughout the rest of the season will be treated, so it is probably in the league’s best interest to be as cautious as possible.
As we saw with positive tests in Major League Baseball, a COVID-19 outbreak within a team, if contained, does not mean the end of the season or guaranteed losses. After all, the two teams that experienced the most severe coronavirus outbreaks during the baseball season, the Marlins and Cardinals, are both currently participating in the MLB playoffs.
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