Eyebrows were raised, heads were scratched and masks were adjusted when the league allowed Tuesday night’s Cowboys vs. Ravens game to go on as planned despite Dez Bryant’s positive coronavirus test that was revealed just hours before kickoff.
On Wednesday, NFL officials explained the decision to allow the game to go on as planned despite Bryant’s positive test.
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First, NFL chief administrative officer Don Aponte explained that the NFL’s contact-tracing policies were followed, allowing the game to kick off (via Pro Football Talk):
What had more people concerned for the well-being of players before the game were the supposed pre-game hugs between Bryant and Cowboys players. Dr. Allen Sills, NFL’s chief medical officer, indicated that “the brevity of the interactions and the outdoor nature of it is certainly an important factor here.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines close contact as being within six feet of another person for 15 minutes to 24 hours after the onset of symptoms or a specimen collection. Sills and the NFL maintain that all protocols and contact-tracing policies were followed heading up to the game.
Baltimore is the most prominent team to suffer a breakout in 2020, with JK Dobbins, Mark Ingram and reigning MVP Lamar Jackson all testing positive and missing time because of the coronavirus.
