The Indianapolis Colts really were being cautious, we guess? All negatives after a second round of COVID-19 tests.
Just when it seemed as if the Colts were poised to be the NFL’s latest victim of the coronavirus (as well as the league’s callous, slapdash procedures for preventing outbreaks), it appears we’ve averted disaster ahead of Week 6.
The team closed its facility on Friday morning following “several” positives, but insisted they were simply being cautious until a re-test could be performed.
As it turns out, the team received all negatives after a second chance, and Jim Irsay announced around 11:20 that all was well, and Sunday’s battle with the Bengals would be proceeding as usual.
Tests coming back clean, game on. https://t.co/AF2gE9xJ2b
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 16, 2020
Shortly after the initial burst of positive information, we got more clarity into what exactly triggered the abrupt shutdown.
According to Adam Schefter, the troublesome tests amounted to four in total — one player, and three staffers.
Apparently, we had enough confirmation just a few hours later to deem them all false positives.
Colts had one player and three staff members with troubling initial tests, but all four came back as false positives after the rerun, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 16, 2020
Bengals at Colts, Sunday, 1 pm.
Of course, rushing into a restart to an NFL game that previously seemed to be in peril is nothing new for the league. The Patriots and Chiefs crammed their contest into Monday night following Cam Newton’s confirmed positive, while those in the league office held their collective breath.
It was all for naught — Stephon Gilmore, as well as several others, tested positive after that game had taken place.
Here’s hoping there are no further complications this weekend, and we can simply watch a rather large game for the Colts. Philip Rivers is firmly on the hot seat following his multi-turnover catastrophe against the Browns, and Indy’s 3-2 record doesn’t seem as hefty as it did at 3-1. Taking advantage of a porous line that only protects Joe Burrow in theory should be priority No. 1 this week.
Unfortunately, we have an entirely different worry hanging over our heads now.
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