Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time in eight months.
via People:
Coach John Harbaugh announced Jackson’s positive test after the first practice of the Ravens’ training camp on Wednesday, adding that running back Gus Edwards had also been diagnosed with the virus, according to the Associated Press.
Both players missed practice Wednesday. Harbaugh did not say how long either player will be out.
“It’s just part of the deal. It’s just the way the world is right now,” Harbaugh said, according to AP. “We have 90 percent vaccinated, and I think we’re going to go above that, too, real soon here. So we’re in really great shape with the vaccinations.”
Jackson remains unvaccinated, which requires him to be tested for COVID-19 daily, according to ESPN. Vaccinated players are subjected to testing once every 14 days.
Harbaugh told reporters that the quarterback began testing last Thursday, and he received a negative test every day until receiving his positive result Tuesday.
Current NFL rules state that unvaccinated players who test positive must isolate for at least 10 days, depending on their symptoms. The Ravens are expected to play their first preseason game in 17 days.
“It’s no different than if somebody gets an injury — you tweak an ankle and you’re out for some number of days,” Harbaugh told reporters about working without the two players. “It’s just part of football. To me, whenever you have a problem or whenever something comes up like that, you embrace it and you almost kind of rejoice in it because it’s an opportunity to improve somewhere else.”
Jackson hasn’t addressed his own diagnosis publicly, but he did reply to a fan Tuesday who wrote on Twitter that they were disappointed they wouldn’t be seeing the quarterback at training camp this week.
“Just boarded my plane all the way from LA to see @Lj_era8 and the @Ravens tomorrow morning and he’s not gonna be there,” the fan wrote, alongside two crying emojis.
Jackson retweeted the message, adding several broken heart emojis.
This is not the first time that the athlete has contracted COVID-19. He tested positive last Thanksgiving and missed the Ravens’ game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, ESPN reports.
At the time, the team had 10 straight days of positive tests, with at least 14 players who were diagnosed.
That’s unfortunate. This delta variant isn’t playing games!
