PITTSBURGH — UPDATE (10/1/20): The Steelers-Titans game originally scheduled for Sunday will not be played until later in the season after more positive COVID-19 tests for the Titans, the NFL announced Thursday.
>>STORY: Steelers-Titans game won’t be played until later in season after more COVID-19 cases
ORIGINAL STORY: Sunday’s Steelers-Titans game is being postponed after Tennessee players and team personnel tested positive for COVID-19.
The NFL made the announcement late Wednesday morning, issuing the following statement:
“The Steelers-Titans game, originally scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, will be rescheduled to allow additional time for further daily COVID-19 testing and to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel. Details on the new game date and time on either Monday or Tuesday will be announced as soon as possible.”
ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported Wednesday that an NFL spokesperson said a fourth Titans player tested positive for COVID-19.
“Additionally, league found no close contacts with the Titans player whose test came back positive today, which tells them their isolation procedures are working in this case,” Graziano tweeted.
On Tuesday, the NFL said three players and five personnel tested positive for the virus.
Until Wednesday, the NFL was planning to have the game go on as scheduled.
During a news conference Tuesday evening, coach Mike Tomlin said, “We’ve been given a mandate to prepare as if the game will be played, and played on time.”
Tomlin said he was sure the league was pondering the possibilities of rescheduling the game as information was gathered, but said he specifically hadn’t been a part of those discussions.
Scroll down to the bottom to watch the full news conference from Mike Tomlin.
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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a letter to all team presidents and executives in the league, according to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter.
“This is not unexpected ... there will be players and staff who will test positive during the season,” part of the letter reads.
The Titans suspended in-person club activities starting Tuesday, as did the Minnesota Vikings, who hosted them on Sunday. The Titans facility will be shut down until Saturday, according to The Associated Press.
Below is the full statement the NFL sent out Tuesday:
“On Tuesday morning, the Titans COVID testing results returned three new player positives and five new personnel positives. The Titans will suspend in-person club activities starting today. Likewise, the Vikings, who played the Titans on Sunday, will also suspend in-person club activities. Both clubs are working closely with the NFL and the NFLPA, including our infectious disease experts, to evaluate close contacts, perform additional testing and monitor developments. All decisions will be made with health and safety as our primary consideration. We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.”
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