Virus pushes Steelers-Titans to Monday or Tuesday
NASHVILLE, TENN.» The Tennessee Titans have at least onemore day to see if the team’s coronavirus outbreak is under control before their gamewith the Steelers is rescheduled forMonday or Tuesday.
Only one new positive test result came backWednesday, a day after the Titans had three players and five team personnel test positive for COVID-19. More daily test results are upcoming.
The league announced the postponement from Sunday afternoon on Wednesday.
The Titans hope to be allowed back inside their facility Saturday, though coach Mike Vrabel said that could happen before then or later. The Titans are preparing to play as early as Monday. Vrabel said he’s confident the NFL will allow them some time to practice before the game.
“We’ve worked on short weeks before,” Vrabel said. “We’ve played three games in 13 days.
I’m sure the other teams that we played before had a few extra days of practice. And so it’ll be important that the time that we do get to spend practicing, we take advantage of it.”
Outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen was the first to test positive, with the Titans learning Saturday of his results. He didn’t make the trip toMinnesota, where Tennessee won 31-30.
On Tuesday, the Titans placed three players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, including key players defensive captain and lineman DaQuan Jones and long snapper Beau Brinkley. Outside linebackerKamalei Correa became the fourth on that list Wednesday.
Vrabel is not identifying the five other personnel who tested positive, saying only that he was not among that group. The Titans coach said some of those who tested positive are experiencing “flu-like symptoms” and he expects they will feel better shortly. The league’s infectious
disease experts have been helping the Titans and the Vikings track down anyone in contact with those who tested positive. The Vikings hadnopositive test results Wednesday and were preparing to reopen their building Thursday, with a game Sunday at Houston.