By Alex Barth, 985TheSportsHub.com
UPDATE: Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter , the NFL will still try and play the Titans upcoming game on Sunday, with the possibility it is moved to Monday. According to a memo sent from Roger Goodell to the teams, in-person operations have been suspended in both Tennessee and Minnesota ‘pending further developments.’
After three clean weeks, the NFL is now dealing with its first internal outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Tennessee Titans have had three players and five personnel members test positive. The team has now shut down its facility until at least Saturday. All work will be done remotely.
The team released this statement Tuesday morning:
The Titans played on Sunday despite outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen receiving a positive test on Saturday. Bowen was placed in quarantine following the positive result and did not travel with the team to Minnesota for their game with the Vikings, who have now evacuated their facility out of an abundance of caution.
A joint statement between the league and NFLPA did not include an immediate plan of action.
The Titans are set to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, while the Vikings are set to visit the Texans. No decision has been made yet on either game. Neither set of teams shares a bye week, so rescheduling could be a nightmare.
While this is the first major team outbreak the NFL has had to deal with, it’s not the only situation worth monitoring. Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell tested positive on Friday. However, no other member of the organization has turned in a positive test since, and Atlanta’s game against Chicago was played Sunday afternoon.
This is an ongoing story, and we will add updates as they become available.