Through the first three weeks of the 2020 season, the NFL had managed to successfully avoid any COVID outbreaks among its 32 teams, however, the outbreak this week among members of the Tennessee Titans has become severe enough to alter the schedule. Initial reports on Tuesday had the game still scheduled to be played Sunday, with the league then acknowledging Wednesday that the game might be played Monday or Tuesday instead.
Thursday, though, the first regular season schedule alteration has been made, with the NFL announcing that the Titans game against the Pittsburgh Steelers will not be played this weekend.
The NFL is rescheduling the #Steelers-#Titans game to later in the season after an additional Titans player and one personnel tested positive for COVID-19. It will not be played Week 4.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 1, 2020
In addition to the game being postponed, the Titans facility will remain closed indefinitely, apparently shutting down until the outbreak is contained.
— NFL (@NFL) October 1, 2020
This brings the total number of Titans players to have tested positive to five, with additional positive cases among coaches and non-player personnel. These positive results are from the tests that were administered Wednesday, and based on the incubation period of the virus, it will not be a surprise if positive tests continue to be reported through the weekend.
At publication there have been no positive tests among the Minnesota Vikings, however, that could change in the coming days and could impact the Vikings matchup against the Houston Texans scheduled for this weekend.