CLEVELAND — After the Cleveland Browns sent Odell Beckham Jr. home from their team facility on Thursday after the star wide receiver was feeling under the weather, it didn't take long for many to assume the worst.
Fortunately, however, the Browns have confirmed that all of their players -- including Beckham -- have since tested negative for the coronavirus (COVID-19).
News of the Browns' negative tests came just hours after the Indianapolis Colts were forced to shut down their facility on Friday after multiple members of the organization tested positive for the coronavirus. The Colts were in Cleveland this past Sunday when they lost to the Browns 32-23 in a Week 5 matchup.
Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Thursday that the decision to send Beckham home came out of an "abundance of caution." In accordance with league protocols, the 3-time Pro Bowl wide receiver will not be in the Browns' facility on Friday. In remains unclear whether he'll be available to play when Cleveland faces the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
“Just with how the protocols are just you have to be careful," Stefanski said of Beckham. "I do not want to assume anything, but with all of our guys, we will make sure we just follow the protocols and just be safe."
Over the course of the past few weeks, the NFL has already rearranged portions of its schedule due to coronavirus outbreaks on the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots. On Friday, the Atlanta Falcons were able to reopen their facility after having multiple positive COVID-19 tests earlier this week.