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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The reigning NFL MVP is the biggest star player to be infected in what has become one of the NFL’s biggest epidemics.
Jackson is among the last four Ravens players and a staff member to test positive on Thursday, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Ravens have now had at least a dozen players testing positive for the coronavirus this week.
This latest round of positive tests could threaten Sunday’s game between the Ravens and the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers, already postponed until Thursday night. Ravens coach John Harbaugh told players they would not be allowed to return to team premises until Monday at the earliest in the interests of safety, a source said.
Baltimore is reduced to two healthy quarterbacks: replacement Robert Griffin III and training player Tyler Huntley. Quarterback Trace McSorley is currently on the reserve / COVID-19 list.
With Jackson in quarantine for 10 days, Griffin would start the next two games, if Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh was played. Baltimore will then face the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. Griffin, the second overall pick in the 2012 draft, has made only one start in the past four seasons.
“Pray for my brother [Jackson] and every player, staff, and their families struggling with COVID-19, “Griffin said Thursday in a tweet. “Keeping the entire organization safe is important. Managing this epidemic within the team is more important than football.”
According to a source, the Ravens believe Jackson was infected Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, where the Ravens lost to the Tennessee Titans 30-24 in overtime, and only tested positive on Thursday. Jackson took pictures of center Patrick Mekari, who tested positive on Wednesday. Jackson’s game-day record is close to that of running backs JK Dobbins and Mark Ingram II, both of whom tested positive on Sunday night.
Jackson will be officially put on the reserve / COVID-19 list on Friday. This is the fifth day in a row that Baltimore has tested positive.
The Ravens already have eight players on the reserve / COVID-19 roster: Ingram, Dobbins, Mekari, defensive ends Calais Campbell and Jihad Ward, nose tackle Brandon Williams, outside linebacker Pernell McPhee and offensive lineman Matt Skura.
It’s been a tumultuous season for the Ravens, former Super Bowl favorites who fell to 6-4 after losing three of their last four games.
News of Jackson’s positive test was first reported by the NFL Network.
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