Saints Player Tests Positive for COVID-19 Before Lions Game on Sunday
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CST - Burton's COVID-19 retest results were negative. His initial test results are classified as a "false positive." Burton and other Saints players had a POC, rapid test, and those results were negative.
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According to a report from Pro Football Talk, a New Orleans Saints player has tested positive for COVID-19. Though the player has not been officially named, Pro Football Talk identified him as fullback Michael Burton in a follow-up post.
Saints FB Michael Burton | Credit: Derick E. Hingle | 2020 Sep 27
Burton is with the team in Detroit as the Saints prepare to meet the Lions on Sunday afternoon. Burton's test result was revealed after the team arrived in Detroit via plane on Saturday.
Four Saints players, including star running back Alvin Kamara, are being tested again.
The game is now in question. Sources say NFL officials are tracing Burton's contact with other players and staff of the Saints.
The NFL can decide to postpone the Saints vs. Lions game. The hope for New Orleans is that Burton's test was actually a "false positive" result, which occurred more often during training camp around the NFL before the league switched its testing methods.
New Orleans listed three players—WR Deonte Harris, LS Zach Wood, and LB Kaden Elliss—on the COVID-19 list during Saints camp. However, each player was deactivated from the list after a subsequent test was performed and the results were negative.
RB Dwayne Washington remained on the list longer than his fellow teammates during and after training camp.
Saints News Network will have more information on the status of the game, player, and team.
