“Multiple players” for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans have tested positive for COVID-19, a pair of league insiders revealed Monday. The league has yet to comment on the reports.
Among the players who tested positive is Cowboys Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliott, whose agent Rocky Arceneaux confirmed the news to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport but said the star is “feeling good.”
The Cowboys issued a statement to Rapoport saying, “Due to federal and local privacy laws, we are unable to provide information regarding the personal health of any of our employees.”
Rapoport added that none of the players in question is believed to have been in their team facilities, and both Texas-based clubs have followed proper health protocols. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero also reported the positive tests today.
It’s unclear which of these players might live in Texas in the offseason, but Sunday saw record-breaking hospitalization numbers due to COVID-19. That, in a week that had already set two new records.
A couple of the players including All-Pro linebacker Von Miller tested positive for coronavirus in April, and Super Bowl-winning New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton was diagnosed in mid-March, just as shutdowns were kicking in around the country.
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But the NFL mostly has been spared the wrath of the coronavirus pandemic, as its 2019 season ended with the Super Bowl in early February. As of now, the league is forging ahead with plans to begin its exhibition season as usual with the Hall of Fame Game, set for August 6 in Canton, OH. The Cowboys are slated to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers that day.
Teams were cleared to reopen their facilities last month, assuming they meet a number of criteria.
The league saw record viewership for its 2020 NFL Draft, which was held virtually, and released its 2020 schedule on May 7.
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