COVID-19 knocks out Payton for Bucs-Saints matchup
New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday and was immediately isolated from the team.
Payton, who is vaccinated and tested positive in 2020 for the coronavirus, will remain isolated for 10 days unless he meets the league requirements for a fully vaccinated individual to return to the team environment.
The Saints said defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has been assigned head coaching duties for this Sunday night’s game at Tampa Bay. Payton is expected to return for New Orleans’ subsequent game against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 27.
The positive test for Payton comes after he missed practice Wednesday when the club said he was “under the weather” but had tested negative. Payton was back at practice and meetings on Thursday.
Payton’s positive test came as COVID-19 cases have spiked across the NFL in recent days, mirroring trends seen in the general population.
Three Saints players — defensive end Cameron Jordan, running back Mark Ingram and receiver Ty Montgomery — did not play against the Jets last Sunday because of positive COVID-19 tests. But by Thursday, Jordan and Montgomery had been activated from New Orleans’ reserve/COVID-19 list.
The Saints (6-7) snapped a five-game skid when they beat the Jets 30-9 and remain in contention for one of the NFC’s wild-card playoff spots with four regular-season games remaining.
In Week 2 of this season, the Saints were without numerous assistant coaches because of a virus outbreak, but Payton was not among those which tested positive. Payton was among the first NFL employees known to have contracted COVID-19 in the spring of 2020.