Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson tests positive for COVID-19, report says

The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the Baltimore Ravens last week, and it has now reportedly affected their best player. Thursday evening, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has tested positive for the coronavirus. The Ravens were scheduled to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, but the league was forced to postpone the game due to the Ravens’ COVID-19 outbreak. The decision was taken very carefully to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and staff on match day and in consultation with medical experts. The game from now is slated for Sunday at 1:15 p.m. ET and it will remain on NBC and broadcast nationwide.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, four other Ravens players and one other staff member have tested positive for COVID-19 – which should include Jackson. While the game against the Steelers has already been moved to Sunday, the chances of it being played are “rapidly diminishing.” Several Steelers players have taken to Twitter to express their displeasure with the league’s decision to reschedule the game originally, and one can only imagine how they would feel if the game was moved again.

The Ravens face at least a dozen positive COVID-19 tests between players and staff that have been reported, and it was already known that they would be without their top two running backs in Mark Ingram and JK Dobbins if the game was to be played on Thanksgiving. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reported on Wednesday that the Ravens would also have been severely limited on the offensive line had they actually played on Thursday. Dan Graziano from ESPN reported that seven players tested positive by Thursday, including Pernell McPhee, Trace McSorley, Matt Skura, Patrick Mekari and Calais Campbell.

Baltimore has now lost back to back games, including a 30-24 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans last Sunday. The loss put them in third place in the AFC North behind the Browns and Cleveland Steelers, and this latest development certainly casts doubt on when they’ll be able to take the next spot.