Browns miss another practice
Baker Mayfield hasn’t thrown a football in four days. The Browns haven’t practiced this week.
The Browns’ return to the NFL playoffs feels cursed.
For the second straight day, the team’s headquarters and training facility stayed closed due to a COVID- 19 flare- up that has knocked coach Kevin Stefanski out of Sunday night’s game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh and wreaked havoc on the Browns’ preparations.
There seemed to be a possibility the wildcard game could be moved back after Dr. Allen Sills, the league’s chief medical officer, told NFL Network “there was some spread from one individual to another” among the Browns.
However, a league spokesman said Thursday there “is no change to the status of the game” at Heinz Field.
The Browns’ ever- changing COVID- 19 list moved again.
Safety Ronnie Harrision became the latest player to test positive and will have to sit out Sunday. Harrison joins Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio, cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson, linebacker Malcolm Smith, wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge and tight end Harrison Bryant.
On Wednesday, starting linebacker B. J. Goodson was activated from the list and safety Andrew Sendejo came off Thursday.
The Browns are also down Stefanski and five assistant coaches.
Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will handle Stefanski’s game- day duties.
■ WRs Stefon Diggs ( oblique injury) and Cole Beasley ( knee) were listed as questionable for the Bills’ game against the Colts on Saturday. Diggs, the league leader in receptions, was limited in the Bills’ walkthrough Tuesday before missing practice Wednesday. Beasley suffered his injury late in the Bills’ Week 16 victory over the Patriots and missed the team’s regular- season finale against the Dolphins. ... The Rams activated LT Andrew Whitworth from IR and he’s expected to start against the Seahawks. Whitworth suffered a torn PCL and MCL against the Seahawks in Week 10. ... Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, senior offensive assistant Rich Scangarello and senior offensive consultant Marty Mornhinweg will not return next season. ... Katie Sowers, one of the league’s first full- time female assistants and its first openly gay coach, will not return to the 49ers next season. He contract is expiring after four sesons.
College basketball: Texas Tech freshman G Nimari Burnett, a five- star recruit coming out of high school, is leaving the program and plans to transfer, ESPN reported. He was averaging 5.3 points per game.
NBA: All- Star G Kyrie Irving didn’t play in the Nets’ home game against the 76ers because of personal reasons. The Nets already were without Kevin Durant, who’s out because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Coach Steve Nash said Durant would be able to return Sunday against the Thunder if he continues to test negative for the coronavirus until then. Irving was added to the injury report Thursday afternoon. Nash said he hadn’t spoken to Irving so didn’t know the reason for his absence, saying it was a personal matter. Seth Curry also sat out against the 76ers because of left ankle soreness.