Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefansky, two additional members of the coaching staff and two players have tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be available for the AFC wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night if the game is scheduled.
Announcing this on Tuesday, Browse said special teams coordinator Mike Prefer will take over as acting head coach.
Brows closed their practice facility on Tuesday for the fifth time in 10 days to do contact tracing.
A source told ESPN’s Adam Schaefter that the other coaches for the positive test were defensive backs coaches and tight end coaches, and the players’ position was a wide receiver and offensive line.
During Sunday’s win over the Steelers at the end of the regular-season, the Brows had to play without six starters due to COVID-19 protocol, as well as offensive line coach Bill Callahan and Scott Peters and wide receiver coach Chad O’Shea.
Star cornbuck K Denzel Ward, tight end Harrison Bryant, linebackers McCullum Smith and BJ Goodson, and safety Rewandrew Sandejo all withdrew from Sunday’s game after testing positive for COVID-19. Nickelback Kevin Johnson was placed on the reserve / COVID-19 list the day before the game.
Brown is playing in his first playoff game since the NFL’s longest post-season drought since 2002.
The Stilters opened the day as a unanimous 4.5-point favorite over Brown, but the line rose to Pittsburgh -5.5 after the news on Tuesday morning.
Following a series of roster management changes this summer, including the expansion of the practice squad to 16 players, the NFL has made it clear that it will not move games for competitive reasons. The league follows that promise, the international team continues to spread only when considered in the game and it can lead to more infections and possibly spread among opponents.
As a result, the Baltimore Ravens lost in week 12 game against Pittsburgh without quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was among at least 14 players who tested positive at the time of the team’s outbreak. The Denver Broncos were forced to play in Week 12, without losing to the New Orleans Saints, without their four quarterbacks. And without the Detroit Lions playing in week 16 without interim head coach Darrell Bowell and most of his defensive staff, Tampa lost to the two Buccaneers.
Kevin Seifert of ESPN contributed to this report.
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