Browns coach tests positive for COVID-19, could miss game

Cleveland Browns head football coach Kevin Stefanski could miss Saturday’s contest against the Las Vegas Raiders after testing positive for COVID-19, ESPN reported. 

The club announced Stefanski’s positive test on Wednesday and also announced that starting quarterback Baker Mayfield had tested positive.

If both Mayfield and Stefanski don’t turn in two negative COVID-19 tests before Saturday, they’ll both miss their contest against Las Vegas. 

Stefanski, who’s in his second year as the Browns’ head coach, said on Tuesday he is fully vaccinated against the virus and received his booster shot, according to ESPN. 

In a statement, the Browns said Stefanski will still continue to coach the team virtually and special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will serve as acting head coach on Saturday with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt serving as the play-caller. 

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— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 15, 2021

This comes as a number of NFL teams including the Washington Football Team, Los Angeles Rams, and Minnesota Vikings have been dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks. 

Multiple sports leagues are seeing coronavirus outbreaks as concerns of the new omicron variant of the virus continue to grow.

Cleveland recently placed multiple players on its COVID-19/reserve list, including wide receiver Jarvis Landry, defensive back Troy Hill, left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., and tight end Austin Hooper, ESPN reported. 

This is Stefanski’s second time testing positive for the virus as he didn’t coach in his team’s wildcard round victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers last season due to his diagnosis, ESPN noted.