Dez Bryant tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of Ravens-Cowboys game, says he's done with the season
Dez Bryant got disappointing news ahead of his highly anticipated matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, his former team.
The Baltimore Ravens receiver tweeted that he got pulled from warmups prior to the game after a COVID-19 test came back positive.
Tell me why they pull me from warming up so I can go get tested... my shit come back positive... I tested positive for Covid WTF
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) December 9, 2020
He then tweeted that he’s done for the season.
Yea I’m going to go ahead and call it a quit for the rest of the season... I can’t deal with this
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) December 9, 2020
When prompted by a follower, Bryant later wrote that “I’m coming back.” Whether that means next season or before is unclear. Bryant also wrote that he was drinking wine as he tweeted.
Yea I’m coming back... I’m being smart https://t.co/9RjQcahTJs
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) December 9, 2020
News breaks just before kickoff
Bryant announced the news 30 minutes prior to the Tuesday night matchup that was postponed from Thursday due to an ongoing COVID-19 outbreak among the Ravens.
Bryant has played three games with Baltimore this season, his first NFL action since his eight-season stint with the Cowboys ended in 2017.
Bryant was a three-time Pro Bowler in Dallas but has struggled to get back on the field while suffering various injuries in recent years.
In addition to the disappointment for Bryant, the news raises obvious concerns about the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in Baltimore.
Ongoing outbreak in Baltimore
Quarterback Lamar Jackson missed last week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and was just cleared on Monday for Tuesday’s game, a contest the Ravens would win 34-17. Last week’s game against the Steelers was postponed twice as the Ravens’ COVID-19 outbreak grew.
Bryant’s positive test shows that the Ravens are still dealing with the outbreak.
NFL green lights game after Bryant’s positive test
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that Bryant’s test was the only positive for the Ravens with the rest of the team’s active players testing negative ahead of Tuesday’s game.
Because of the incubation period involved with COVID-19, a negative test doesn’t necessarily mean that somebody is not infected with the coronavirus.
Pelissero reports that the NFL approved the game moving forward after nobody was deemed a high-risk close contact to Bryant, despite teammates being around him leading up to the game.
Ravens editorial director Ryan Mink tweeted a photo of Bryant hugging somebody on the field with the caption “lot of hugs between Dez Bryant and Cowboys players/coaches/staff early in warmups.” He later deleted the tweet.
This tweet is now deleted ... 🤦🏻♀️ pic.twitter.com/505nSn3kpX
— Downtown Diane (@downtowndiane) December 9, 2020
Bryant himself wondered if the game should go on.
Since I tested positive for Covid before the game do the game stop or go on? @NFL
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) December 9, 2020
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