CLEVELAND, Ohio – Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph had a big chance on New Year’s Eve, when Browns cornerback Denzel Ward tested positive for COVID-19, a league source told cleveland.com, and will be left out of Sunday’s near-mandatory game at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Ward was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list on Thursday and could also miss a playoff game because he has to isolate himself for a minimum of 10 days.
If the Browns beat the Steelers on Sunday to secure a playoff spot, Ward will close for the first playoff game with a minimum isolation period of 10 days. If the game is on January 9, Ward will have to be left out. If it’s January 10th, he can play.
It is possible that the Browns could face the Steelers in the first round of the playoffs at Heinz Field next weekend if the Browns win on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The Browns’ main cornerback, Ward was one of three Browns players who had a positive result on Thursday. The other two are linebacker Malcolm Smith and tight end Harrison Bryant. As a result, after consulting the NFL office, the Browns kept their facilities closed all day and canceled training.
The Browns have two other players who will be out of the Steelers game after positive tests of COVID-19: linebacker BJ Goodson and free safety Andrew Sendejo. Despite three new positive tests, Sunday’s game is still going on, the NFL said.
The Browns also activated five major players on the COVID-19 reserve list on Thursday: recipients Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge, and linebacker Jacob Phillips.
The Browns were eager to get their top four receivers and Phillips back to training on Thursday, but that never materialized. The day began with a positive Smith and Bryant test, and the Browns closed their facilities until further notice for the second consecutive day.
While awaiting the results of contact tracking, they conducted regularly scheduled Zoom video conferences with coach Kevin Stefanski, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, defensive coordinator Joe Woods and special team coordinator Mike Priefer.
Everyone was eager to have some players back today and start trying to beat the Steelers on Sunday.
If the Browns win, they win their first playoff spot in 18 years. If they lose, they will have to count on losing the Colts to 1-14 Jaguars or another multi-team scenario.
The three positive tests came on Thursday on the same day as news from Pittsburgh surfaced that Pro Bowlers TJ Watt, Cam Heyward and Maurkice Pouncey will join Ben Roethlisberger in normal outfits, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
With Mason Rudolph starting the game, it looked like the Browns were a block to breaking his 17-year playoff drought, the longest in the NFL. But now, with more important Browns players joining the list, nothing is certain.
The Browns defense was particularly hard hit in this game – and players still have two days to test positive or be identified as close contacts at high risk. The Browns will be without Ward, Goodson, Sendejo and Smith.
They also have two linebackers who suffered ankle injuries during their 23-16 loss to the Jets, and who were limited in practice on Wednesday: Sione Takitaki and Tae Davis.
But the Browns have other players coming back to the team that will help tremendously: left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. is back from his illness and Wyatt Teller is likely to be back from his sprained ankle. Security Ronnie Harrison will return after losing four games due to a shoulder injury.
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