COVID- 19 deals Browns big blow
Tw odays after celebrating their return to the NFL playoffs, the Browns were knocked flat.
COVID- 19 will keep coach Kevin Stefanskiandat least two players, one a Pro Bowler, out of the team’s first playoff game since the 2002 season.
The Browns announced Tuesday — 18 years to the day since their last playoff game — that Stefanski tested positive for the coronavirus, which has plagued the team in recentweeks and nowis causing a major disruption as the Browns prepare to play the Steelers on Sunday for the second straight week.
Just 48 hours ago, the Browns and their fans were over joyed when the team ended the league’s longest playoff drought with a 24- 22winover the Steelers, who rested QB Ben Roethlisberger and others to be fresh for the playoffs.
Stefanski tested positive along with Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio, receiver KhaDarel Hodge and more two coaching staff members, tight ends coach Drew Pet zing and defensive backs coach Jeff Howard.
The Browns already had six players and three other assistants on the reserve COVID- 19 list.
Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will be the acting head coach Sunday. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will assume play- calling duties.
League spokesman Brian McCarthy said there’s no change to the status of Sunday night’s game in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers have their own COVID- 19 issues. Starting cornerback Joe Haden and tight end Eric Ebron missed Sunday’s loss after being placed on the COVID- 19 list a day earlier. Haden tested positive; his status for the playoffgame remains uncertain.
QB Peyton Manning was among 15 finalists announced for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2021. Other first- time finalists of note: Former Lions WR Calvin Johnson and DB Charles Woodson, who played for the Raiders and won a Super Bowl with the Packers.
College basketball: Top- ranked Gonzaga was scheduled to play West Coast Conference rival Santa Clara on Thursday afternoon, but the game was postponed because of COVID- 19 protocols in the Santa Clara program. Instead, the undefeated Bulldogs will face rival BYU that night. BYU’s originally scheduled game against Pacific on Thursday was postponed due to Pacific’s COVID- 19 issues.
College football: CFP executive director Bill Hancock said the national championship game between Alabama and Ohio State is still a go for Monday night amid a report that the Buckeyes are having COVID- 19 issues. Hancock has previously said Jan. 18 is a potential makeup date if necessary.
Soccer: U.S. women’ s team star Alex Morgan announced that she and her family contracted the coronavirus over the holidays in California. Morgan, 31, recently returned to the U.S. from England, where she played this fall with Tottenham in the FA Women’s Super League. Morgan is married to fellow soccer player Servando Carrasco. They have a 7- month old daughter named Charlie .“We are allin good spirit sand recovering well ,” Morgan posted on Twitter. The USWNT is expected to open its January training camp Saturday.