League investigating COVID-19 testing lab
The NFL announced Sunday morning that it is investigating a rash of positive COVID-19 test results that all came from a lab in New Jersey as training camps push toward the season opener less than three weeks away.
Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said he thought there were 10 or 11 teams affected by the irregularities.
Though it is unclear which teams submit their testing samples to the New Jersey lab, at least six — the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Bill s, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings — have altered their plans for Sunday.
The Chicago Bears pushed their Sunday morning practice to the afternoon after they confirmed that their nine positive COVID-19 results were all false positives.
Cleveland said in a statement t hat “COVID- 1 9 testing process conducted yesterday initially indicates multiple individual presumptive positive cases that include players, coaches and support staff.”
The Browns said “out of an abundance of caution” they will follow their Infectious Disease Emergency Response plan, which pauses operations inside the team's Berea, Ohio, facility and pushes meetings to be held virtually. The Browns said they are also following the plan's protocols for contact tracing and self-isolation, even though all those who returned positive results remain asymptomatic. RAVENS: One of the team’s marquee free agency signings last year, safety Earl Thomas will play just one of the four seasons he had signed up for with the Baltimore Ravens. Thomas was sent home after the altercation with fellow safety Chuck Clark. Then on Saturday, during the portion open to media, Thomas was not seen on the field for Baltimore’s practice. The Ravens called Thomas’ absence on Saturday an “organizational decision.” Clark was a full participant in practice.
BROWNS: Thin and inexperienced at linebacker, the Cleveland Browns signed former Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith on Sunday. Smith helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to an NFL title after the 2013 season, when he returned an interception for a touchdown, recovered a fumble and had 10 tackles in a 43-8 blowout of Denver.