In nearly every corner of the country this week, the NFL’s coronavirus situation is looking pretty similar to that of the communities they reside in, putting games in jeopardy up and down the league’s Sunday schedule. The latest is in Chicago, where the Bears closed their facility on Thursday and said it was “unclear” how the closure and late-week positive test would affect their game on Sunday against the Titans.
More from the Bears’ statement:
“This morning we were notified that another Bears player has tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, the club has decided to pause all in-person football activities and close Halas Hall. Today’s practice has been canceled and all meetings will be conducted virtually. The player who tested positive and all close contacts have been contacted and have already begun self-isolation. We will continue to work closely with the NFL medical experts and follow the league’s intensive protocol. The health and safety of our team, players and staff are the highest priority.”
Chicago did not announce which player tested positive, but Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported soon after the team’s announcement that the player in question is offensive lineman Cody Whitehair. This comes, as Rapoport notes, after another Bears lineman, Jason Spriggs, had tested positive earlier this week, and close contact Germain Ifedi joined him on the reserve/COVID-19 list because he was a close contact.