Pittsburgh Steelers

Browns keeping facilities closed for rest of day Thursday after more positive COVID-19 tests

CLEVELAND — UPDATE (12/31 4 p.m.) The Browns are keeping their team facilities closed for the rest of the day Thursday after several positive COVID-19 tests.

UPDATE (12/31) According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, two more players on the Browns tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday morning.

As a result, the team had to close its facility for the second day in a row until contact tracing is completed.

Cleveland now has three players and one coach who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

However, the Browns hope they will be able to practice again Thursday after contact tracing and reopening their facility. The NFL has not said if rescheduling the upcoming Steelers-Browns game is a possibility.


ORIGINAL STORY:

The Cleveland Browns have reopened their team facility hours after closing it because a player and staff member tested positive for COVID-19.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are scheduled to play the Browns in Cleveland on Sunday in the last week of the regular season.

Several of Cleveland’s players did not suit up in Week 16 because of contact tracing/quarantine protocols, including its top four wide receivers.

In a statement, the Browns said Wednesday that their team facility would be closed while contact tracing took place to identify any high-risk close contacts. Around 4 p.m. the team was cleared to open back up.

The two people who tested positive were identified as a practice squad player and a coach.

The status for Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh remains unchanged at this point.