The NFL has moved the Titans, Steelers game, initially scheduled for this Sunday, to Week 7 after members of the Titans organization tested positive for COVID-19, the New York Times reports.
What We Know:
- On Tuesday, three Titans players and five employees tested positive for coronavirus, followed by a fourth player testing positive later in the week. The game was to be held at noon in Nashville on Sunday. However, the league opted to reschedule in order “to allow additional time for further daily Covid-19 testing and to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches, and game day personnel.”
- The Titans stopped in-person activities Tuesday after learning about the positive tests. “I know there’s going to be a lot of questions about the game and about who’s to blame and where it started,” Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said in a statement. “Nobody’s to blame. We’re in a pandemic… This is a very unfortunate situation, but one that we’re confident that we will be able to handle safely with the football team and the players’ best interests in mind,” Vrabel added.
- The Titans played last Sunday’s game in Minnesota against the Vikings. No players or staff of the Vikings have tested positive though they have decided to close in-person activities.
- This is the first outbreak of COVID-19 in the NFL since the beginning of the season. The league announced Friday that the game will now be played on Sunday, October 25, Week 7 of the season, when the Titans were initially scheduled to have a bye week. The Steelers, slated to play the Ravens in Week 7, will now play the Baltimore franchise in Week 8. Week 7 will now be the Ravens bye week, and this week is considered the Steelers and Titans bye week.
- Steelers Tight End Eric Ebron Tweeted his frustrations Thursday after hearing the news.
im confused on how this became our problem.. my sons birthday party was bye week now i’m missing his birthday & bad enough I don’t even see my kids. shit sucks.
— Ebron85 (@Ebron85) October 1, 2020
The news sparks continued fears of a coronavirus second wave that would shut down social and economic activity again. On Friday morning, President Trump also announced that he and the First Lady have tested positive for the virus.
