Report: Steelers QB coach tests positive, Roethlisberger cleared originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks coach Matt Canada tested positive for the coronavirus, NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala reported Saturday. The Steelers announced that Canada would miss Tuesday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens with an “illness” but did not specify whether he had COVID-19.
According to Kinkhabwala, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger won't have to isolate after he was deemed to have avoided being a close contact of Canada. The Steelers will, however, be without running back James Conner, defensive linemen Isaiah Buggs and Stephon Tuitt and tackle Jerald Hawkins after all four players were added to the reserve/COVID-19 list this week. Special teams coach Danny Smith is out after reportedly testing positive as well.
The Ravens, meanwhile, have seen 20 positive cases pop up across their roster and coaching staff, putting their upcoming game in jeopardy. Baltimore and Pittsburgh were originally scheduled to square off in primetime on Thanksgiving, but the game was pushed back to Sunday and then Tuesday due to the Ravens’ outbreak.
FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported Saturday that “at least two more Ravens starters” will be placed on the COVID list by Sunday, though he did not name any players. Among the announced Ravens’ inactives are expected to be quarterback Lamar Jackson, running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins, center Matt Skura and pass rusher Calais Campbell.
If the NFL is forced to postpone the game past Tuesday, it may have to extend the regular season into an 18th week in order to fit the game in before the playoffs.
