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The NFL has moved the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers fight from Thanksgiving night to Sunday.
The league announced the schedule change as the Ravens process several positive COVID-19 tests this week.
“This move was taken out of prudence to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and staff on match day and in consultation with medical experts,” the league said in a statement.
The game originally slated for Thanksgiving night on NBC does not yet have a time or channel for its Sunday release. The NFL will now have a traditional two-game Turkey slate of the day with Detroit welcoming Houston early in the game and Washington visiting Dallas in the afternoon game.
Moving the AFC North showdown to Sunday will put the Ravens on rest in Week 13, as they face the Cowboys next Thursday night.
The Ravens had previously placed several players on the reserve / COVID-19 roster with positive tests or close contact after the scoring, including running backs Mark Ingram and JK Dobbins, defensive lineman Brandon Williams and linebacker outside Pernell McPhee. Offensive linemen Matt Skura and Patrick Mekari and defensive end Calais Campbell will be added to the reserve / COVID-19 list, along with several staff, reported Ian Rapoport, a member of the NFL network.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that the league had not decided to postpone the game because the Ravens would be shorthanded, rather that the decision was made due to the number of Ravens players considered to be close contacts. The NFL wanted a few more days of COVID-19 testing to ensure the spread was contained, per Garafolo.
Several Steelers players have expressed their dissatisfaction with the decision on social media.
“First the NFL is taking our week off because another team can’t fix their (COVID) situation, now they’re taking our Thanksgiving prime-time game away from us for the same reason. Smh,” wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster written on twitter.
Earlier this season, the Steelers postponed their game against the Tennessee Titans to their Week 7 recess due to a COVID-19 outbreak on the Titans.
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