The Houston Texans are closing their facilities Wednesday after a player received a positive COVID-19 test result amid the team’s bye week.
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Statement from the Houston Texans: https://t.co/hcvw5h5wra
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network first reported the news, adding the Texans are also in the process of testing all other players.
Early this month, the NFL announced an agreement with the players association to expand daily coronavirus testing to include bye weeks and other off days. The decision meant players couldn’t leave their teams’ home cities during their byes.
It was part of the protocol changes that emerged after the league’s first widespread COVID-19 outbreak involving the Tennessee Titans, which saw the team record 24 positive tests from Sept. 24 through Oct. 11.
The NFL completed the first three weeks of the 2020 season without an issue. There were several schedule changes over the next two weeks, including some games that were delayed a few days and others pushed back multiple weeks by moving byes.
Week 6 saw the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs moved from Thursday to Monday because of a prior change to the Bills’ schedule, and Week 7 went forward without any further alterations, giving hope the league had navigated a difficult stretch.
The Texans suffered a 35-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at NRG Stadium.
Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reported the Packers remained “all systems go” Wednesday with their preparations for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. No positive tests on the Packers have been reported.
Both Green Bay and Minnesota have already used their bye weeks, which would make rescheduling difficult if necessary.
Houston is set to return Nov. 8, when it travels to TIAA Bank Field to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
