Falcons shut down facilities after staffer tests positive

The Atlanta Falcons are the latest team confonted with a possible COVID-19 outbreak. Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Falcons shut down team facilities after personnel member tests positive

By Blake Harper | Last updated 10/15/20

Just when the NFL thought it was out of the COVID-19 mess, it pulls them back in. The Atlanta Falcons have become the latest team to shut down facilities after reporting a member of the team's personnel, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Falcons are already having a nightmare season, but even going 0-5 and firing your head coach does not compare to facing the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak. The Falcons are scheduled to play the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday but at this point, the status of the game is certainly in question. Fortunately, it is not a player who tested positive, so the team may be able to avoid any major scheduling changes.

Update: An NFL official said just one member of the Falcons’ personnel had a positive test, and its not a player.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 15, 2020

For the league as a whole, many thought they had finally gotten past the early bumps in the road that included the Titans experiencing an outbreak that forced several games to be moved and quarterback Cam Newton missing a game for the Patriots. But the NFL weathered the storm, as Titans were able to play on Tuesday after reporting no positive tests and Cam reported back with the team this week.

However, the Falcons positive tests show that COVID-19 is not an issue that is going to go away anytime soon, no matter how much the league tries to test and protocol their problems away. That's why the NFL may start taking its plan to create a playoff bubble in order to prevent the season from being shut down, as the strategy has proven successful for both the NBA and MLB.

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