The Cleveland Browns finally got through one day without any more positive cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. Yet the team remains decimated by the coronavirus, with over 10 players and coaches unavailable for Sunday night’s postseason game in Pittsburgh.
Would more positive tests in Cleveland threaten the game as scheduled? NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith was asked about that in his weekly press briefing. Smith admitted it’s not something that is likely, but it’s not out of the question if there is enough risk to the players’ health.
“The only thing I can say is there haven’t been any conversations about putting off the playoffs or putting off the Super Bowl that I’ve had with the league since the playoffs have started,” Smith told reporters Tuesday.
“We’ve tried to be incredibly flexible all year — we’ve seen some games moved, some games rescheduled,” Smith continued. “But the reality of where we are now in the playoffs and, given the tighter window … we probably don’t have the same level of contingencies for play during the playoffs leading up the Super Bowl, which is why we’re stressing that it is going to require an even increased vigilance.”
Browns center JC Tretter, the NFLPA’s president, offered the same basic take on the possibility of delaying the game. Tretter has consistently noted in his weekly briefings, done with Smith and assistant executive director George Atallah, that competitive balance or disadvantage cannot factor into the decision, but health reasons can.
