The first NFL case of COVID-19 came in today and head coach Sean Payton announced that he has the disease. The news was first reported by Adam Schefter
Payton said he didn’t feel well this past Sunday, took the test on Monday, and received the results Thursday afternoon. Payton is resting at home, fatigued, but said he is one of the 20 percent of the cases that has no fever and no cough.
“This is not just about social distancing,” Payton told Schefter, “It’s shutting down here for a week to two weeks. If people understand the curve, and understand the bump, we can easily work together as a country to reduce it. Take a minute to understand what the experts are saying. It’s not complicated to do what they’re asking of us. Just that type of small investment by every one of us will have a dramatic impact.
“I was fortunate to be in the minority, without the serious side effects that some have. I’m lucky. Younger people feel like they can handle this, but they can be a carrier to someone who can’t handle it. So we all need to do our part. It’s important for every one of us to do our part.”
The day before Payton fell ill, he was at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, for the Rebel Stakes.