Browns, Falcons close training facilities after more positive COVID-19 tests
Two more Cleveland Browns players have tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the team to shut down its Berea headquarters and alter its schedule Thursday while contact tracing is completed. The Atlanta Falcons also took the same action in their Flowery Branch, Georgia, facility after the team announced one positive test Thursday.
The Browns announced the latest positive test results a day after experiencing similar chaos Wednesday, when practice squad center Javon Patterson and an unnamed assistant coach tested positive for the virus.
Of the two new positive cases, one of the players had already been on the reserve/COVID-19 list as a close contact of someone outside of the organization, a person familiar with the situation said.
The two players who most recently tested positive have yet to be identified by the club, but they will join starting linebacker B.J. Goodson and starting free safety Andrew Sendejo as members of the Browns (10-5) who will miss Sunday's regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3) while on the COVID-19 list.
Meanwhile, the Browns are on scheduled to activate wide receivers Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge and linebacker Jacob Phillips from the COVID-19 list on Thursday, so they can return to practice.
On Saturday, Landry, Higgins, Peoples-Jones, Hodge and Phillips were deemed high-risk close contacts of starting middle linebacker B.J. Goodson, who tested positive for COVID-19.
All six of them sat out Sunday's 23-16 loss to the New York Jets, but the close contacts of Goodson have continued to test negative.
The Falcons did not disclose the identity of the positive test, but said that all work would be completed virtually and that contact tracing protocols had started.
The release issued by the Falcons said that the positive test "does not affect the status of Sunday's game." Atlanta is set to travel to Tampa for its regular-season finale against the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.