BOSTON (CBS) — Patriots star cornerback Stephon Gilmore has tested positive for COVID-19, and is now the third member of the team to be placed on the NFL’s reserve/COVID list.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was first to report Gilmore’s positive test on Wednesday morning. The Patriots will not practice on Wednesday but will hold virtual meetings, according to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, who is also reporting that some players who have not yet tested positive are feeling “under the weather.”
Patriots all virtual today. Closed facility. Some players who have not yet tested positive are feeling under the weather and would have had to stay home anyway.
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) October 7, 2020
All of this casts some serious doubt that the Patriots will play their scheduled game Sunday against the Denver Broncos at Gillette Stadium.
Gilmore will now have to spend at least five days on the NFL’s reserve/COVID list, and that’s a best-case scenario for Gilmore and the Patriots. The star corner joins quarterback Cam Newton and practice squad defensive tackle Bill Murray as Patriots players on the list.
Per source, Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore came up as one of QB Cam Newton's close contacts over the weekend. Chiefs/Pats was delayed in part b/c of Newton's high number of close contacts.
Pats flew Newton's close contacts to KC separate from the rest of the traveling party.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 7, 2020
Newton tested positive over the weekend, prompting the NFL to move Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs to Monday night. The Patriots traveled to Kansas City on Monday morning, falling to the Chiefs 26-10 later that evening.
Gilmore posted on social media on Wednesday afternoon that he is asymptomatic.
“I’m currently asymptomatic and will take this as it comes,” Gilmore said. “I don’t know what to expect but my spirit is high because of God. I’ve followed every protocol, yet it happened to me. Please be sure to take this seriously.”
— The Gilly Lock (@BumpNrunGilm0re) October 7, 2020
The Chiefs did not have any positive tests as of Wednesday morning, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini.
All tests came back negative from the Kansas City Chiefs today per source.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) October 7, 2020
While Murray did not make the trip with the Patriots, Gilmore did. Now we’ll wait to see if the Patriots have any more positive tests pop up over the coming days.
