The Pittsburgh Steelers fan base scratched their heads when they saw veteran cornerback Joe Haden post the following tweets on his verified Twitter page:
I’m so upset and sad at the same time ….. stay safe here
– Joe Haden (@ joehaden23) January 2, 2021
Shortly after these tweets were made, members of the media covering the Steelers were announcing that Haden was facing a “COVID situation” and would not be available for the Week 17 game against Cleveland Browns.
Okay, but what exactly was the situation? Was he a high-risk contact? Was the test positive?
As reported by ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, among others, Haden tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the Game of Week 17. However, due to a recent change in NFL policies, even if Haden is asymptomatic, he should quarantined for 10 days, which means he will also lose the Steelers AFC Wild Card game.
Joe Haden tested positive for COVID-19 and will not play tomorrow, the source said @DanGrazianoESPN.
The updated COVID-19 protocols state that a player with a positive result must isolate himself for at least 10 days, even if asymptomatic – meaning that Haden will probably be out of the first round of the playoffs https://t.co/aY3uJVvZhK
– Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) January 2, 2021
This is devastating news not only for Haden, but also for the defense of the Steelers. Haden, when combined with Steven Nelson, forms one of the best cornerback pairs in the league. Without Haden, the Steelers will turn to Cam Sutton to fill the role and hope that a combination of Sutton and Justin Layne can fill the void.
At this point, the story is far from over. Steelers, along with the NFL, will now have to go through their contact tracking protocol. If Haden was close to any other teammate, they are likely to leave this weekend, but that does not mean they will be out of the playoff game unless the test is positive for the virus.
Joe Haden’s positive test contact tracking is the Steelers’ next concern. Close contacts would have to isolate and waste practice time, but could still be available for the playoffs.
– Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) January 2, 2021
Between the new problems of the Steelers’ COVID-19 and the Cleveland Browns having their own problems, you must ask yourself what the game will look like on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.
There will be much more to this story, so stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes on black and gold as they prepare for the Browns and playoffs.