Matthew Stafford 'glad' false-positive COVID-19 test happened

Matthew Stafford went through a frustrating ordeal when he tested positive for COVID-19, only for the Lions to later reveal it was a false-positive test. It would be understandable for Stafford to be angry at the league, especially since the misinformation caused trouble for his family, but the quarterback explained why he's ultimately "glad" the entire situation happened the way it did.

"I'm glad that it happened to me at this point and the league is doing what they can to try and change and make sure it doesn't happen again," Stafford said, via the Detroit Free Press.

Previously, if a player had a positive test, the NFL automatically forced them to sit out for at least five days. However, Stafford revealed that in light of his false-positive test, the league is planning to implement new changes in protocol to ensure that sort of mix-up does not happen again. According to a memo from NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills, players who test positive without having symptoms will now undergo two confirmatory nasal tests the following day before they are forced to sit out.

It's a system that is going to be difficult to work out but Stafford is right that it's good something like this happened before the season began, as a player may have been forced to miss a game despite a false-positive test. As for Stafford, he says that the false-positive test and his subsequent placement on the reserve/COVID-19 test have not dissuaded him from playing in the 2020 season.