Inside the NFL COVID-19 Outbreak

Thursday, November 19th, began the largest Covid-19 outbreak the NFL has seen this season. Ravens strength coach, Steve Saunders tested positive for the virus on the 19th. Saunders failed to notify the team of his symptoms and did not wear his tracing device, which is used to determine who is considered “close contact” with staff members or players who test positive for the virus. This led to an outbreak within the Baltimore Ravens facility causing their Thanksgiving Day game to be postponed.

Following Saunders positive test, running backs J.K. dobbins and Mark Ingram tested positive just three day later. On the 23rd, the Ravens closed their facility but were told to re-open, ordered by the NFL that same day.

On the 24th, Baltimore was informed of three new positive tests and shut down their facility again, just two days before a Thanksgiving Day game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Soon after on the 25th, the NFL announced that their upcoming game would be delayed until Sunday afternoon.

Just one day after, the Ravens had been notified that their game on Thursday had been postponed. They received word that four more players had tested positive, including 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson. As the 27th came Baltimore was notified that their game would be moved to Tuesday night.

Following news of the game being delayed again, three new positive tests came back in the span of just two days. Then on December 1st, just hours before their game in Pittsburgh, Baltimore was notified of another positive test, Geno Stone.

Baltimore still traveled to Pittsburgh on the 1st after receiving all negative tests, besides Stones positive test. On the morning of their game on the 2nd, Baltimore finally received good news that there game was on and there were no new positive tests, bring their Covid-19 out break to an end.