For the first time all week, the Browns will practice Friday in preparation for Sunday night's AFC wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field.
The Browns received approval from the NFL to practice Friday afternoon and were scheduled to begin the session at 4:30 p.m. It will be held in the field house at team headquarters and closed to media due to COVID-19 protocols.
The league kept the Browns from practicing Wednesday and Thursday because of the franchise's ongoing COVID-19 issues, forcing players and coaches to limit their preparation to virtual meetings from home.
Coach Kevin Stefanski, several of his assistants and eight players are out due to COVID-19. Many of them won't be available for Sunday night's game.
The Browns placed another player on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday: safety Jovante Moffatt. They also activated center Javon Patterson from the practice squad/COVID-19 list.
Assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters tested positive for the virus, ESPN reported Friday. The Browns later confirmed a member of their coaching staff had tested positive.
Peters has been away from the Browns since late last week, when he was identified as a high-risk close contact, likely of offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who contracted the virus and had been experiencing symptoms, Stefanski told NBC's Peter King.
Peters can't coach Sunday night during the Browns' first playoff game in 18 years. Coaching assistant Ryan Cordell will likely serve as the acting offensive line coach this weekend for the second game in a row.
Others who will definitely be sidelined for the showdown in Pittsburgh are Stefanski, three-time Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio, safeties Ronnie Harrison and Moffatt, wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge, tight ends coach Drew Petzing and defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Jeff Howard.
Players and coaches who missed Sunday's 24-22, playoff-clinching win over the Steelers and could be out for the wild-card game due to COVID-19 are cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson, linebacker Malcolm Smith, rookie tight end Harrison Bryant, passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea and Callahan.
Linebacker B.J. Goodson and free safety Andrew Sendejo were activated from the COVID-19 list earlier this week after sitting out the regular-season finale.
