OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The COVID-19 outbreak in Baltimore has led to the Ravens–Steelers game being postponed to Wednesday, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
This becomes the first game of the NFL season to get postponed three times.
The Week 12 game between the Ravens and Steelers that was originally scheduled for Thanksgiving night — and was moved to Sunday and then Tuesday night — has been shifted again.
After nine straight days of at least one player testing positive for COVID-19 this week, the Ravens had intended to fly to Pittsburgh on Monday night to avoid a snowstorm. But the game between AFC North rivals was moved for the third time in six days.
For the Ravens, Monday was perhaps the strangest day in what has been one of the most challenging weeks in franchise history. Players had reported to the team facility about a half hour before the scheduled 9:30 a.m. practice when the NFL canceled it to wait for the latest test results, a source said. The Ravens waited most of the day not knowing whether they practice again that afternoon and board a plane to play the NFL’s only undefeated team.
Baltimore is in the midst of one of the largest outbreaks in professional sports. The Ravens have had 22 players test positive or get identified as a high-risk close contact over the past nine days. Right now, Baltimore has 35 players on its 53-man roster.
At least a dozen Ravens players have tested positive including reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson along with five Pro Bowl players: defensive end Calais Campbell, tight end Mark Andrews, outside linebacker Matthew Judon, running back Mark Ingram and fullback Patrick Ricard.
Andrews, Judon, wide receiver Willie Snead IV and cornerback Terrell Bonds were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday afternoon, the team announced. The team also activated four players from the list: Linebacker Jaylon Ferguson, guard D.J. Fluker, cornerback Iman Marshall and defensive tackle Broderick Washington. Marshall will revert back to injured reserve.
The Ravens now have 35 players on their 53-man roster after guard Tyre Phillips (shoulder) was activated off injured reserve and cornerback Davontae Harris was officially signed.
Monday’s round of Ravens test results produced one new positive test result, but it’s a player on injured reserve who hasn’t had close contact with anyone else, a source told ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
The only other game this season that had previously been postponed twice was a Week 5 game between the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots. Positive coronavirus tests in New England pushed this game from Oct. 11 to Oct. 12 before being played on Oct. 18.