It was obvious there was more to the story the minute the Ravens released a cryptic statement announcing they have disciplined a staff member for conduct related to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Now comes word from Tom Pelissero of NFL Media that it was a strength and conditioning coach whom the team disciplined for not reporting symptoms and not consistently wearing a mask or tracking device. That may have contributed to the team’s rash of COVID-19 cases.
The Ravens could face discipline from the league, but Pelissero reports that “by proactively disciplining the coach, the Ravens potentially could reduce or avoid discipline they face from the league over an outbreak that forced the postponement of the Thanksgiving night game against the Steelers.”
The league moved the Ravens-Steelers game from Thanksgiving night to Sunday at 1:15 p.m. ET.
Dr. Allen Sills, the league’s chief medical officer, said Wednesday afternoon the NFL had done a “very deep dive” into the Ravens’ situation and determined they will know by Friday whether they have it contained.
“We feel like we have a really good handle on exactly when transmission and how it occurred,” Sills told Judy Battista of NFL Media. “I think we feel like we’re just a couple of days away from being out of that window of vulnerability for that transmission event. So obviously you have to take each day as it comes and look for any new data that may emerge, but right now we simply feel like that as of tomorrow we would not have confidence in going forward, but I think we feel we’re very close to the end of that transmission event. At present, we’re targeting Sunday absent any new information that would change the facts we have right now.”
