Mike Tomlin hosted a Zoom meeting with media where he covered a number of topics. Perhaps the biggest news to come out of that meeting was Tomlin’s acknowledgement of two Pittsburgh Steeler players testing positive for Covid-19.
Mike Tomlin said two of his players have tested positive for the Covid-19 pandemic, but that was back in the spring and they are OK now
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) June 23, 2020
Tomlin also stated those players have not been at team facilities.
In recent weeks the news has been full of athletes testing positive for Covid-19, and as we are all learning, most of them had no clue they had it before they were tested. As teams prepare to meet up for camp, more players will be getting tested, and the number of positive tests will increase.
The NFL and the Steelers have plans in place to mitigate risk, and those plans will continue to evolve. Mike Tomlin also stated in the interview that he will be going to Heinz Field to begin preparations for camp.
Tomlin on camp at Heinz: says he has walk throughs scheduled in the near future. “I feel really good about Heinz field being a good venue for us”
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) June 23, 2020
Says there’s ample space for social distancing guidelines, but adds he’s sad about not going to Latrobe “I’m a training camp lover.”
There have been concerns that Heinz Field is too small to provide space for camp and social distancing, Mike Tomlin does not share those concerns.
It is critical to the hopes of an NFL season that these plans succeed, because while many will point out the low risk this disease poses to most athletes, it still affects a small number of healthy young adults, and there are players like Cameron Heyward who plays football with asthma and is at greater risk. There are also a lot of coaches in the NFL, many of them are over the age of 60, falling into a caregory where hospitalization is more common.
As the Steelers look to prepare for what fans hope will be a fantastic 2020 season for the Black and Gold, the critical work of making sure Covid-19 doesn’t derail the season is just beginning.
Stay tuned to Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest Steelers news as we move closer to the return of football.