- Odell Beckham, Jr. was sent home from the Cleveland Browns’ practice on Thursday after contracting an illness.
- He tested negative for COVID-19 but the team is awaiting the results of his most recent test.
- For now, he’s being kept away from team facilities as a precautionary measure.
The Cleveland Browns are awaiting word as to the status of wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. Beckham was sent home from the team’s practice on Thursday due to an illness. The concern now is that the star wide receiver has contracted COVID-19. According to head coach Kevin Stefanski, ODB tested negative for the coronavirus earlier in the week. He’s been tested again but those results won’t be available until Friday. As a precautionary measure, he’s being kept away from the practice facility until the outcome of his most recent test is known.
Head coach Stefanski said that ODB is being kept away from the team facility ‘out of an abundance of caution’ but then offered his opinion that ‘he’s just feeling under the weather’. Stefanski stressed the importance of having the team following COVID-19 protocols regardless:
“How the protocols are, you have to be careful. I don’t want to assume anything. With all our guys, we’ll make sure we follow the protocols and just be safe.”
The NFL sent a memo reiterating the protocols earlier this week:
ODB is finally putting up the kind of performance that the Browns expected to see when they brought him in. He’s got 294 yards on 21 receptions so far this season and scored three touchdowns in Cleveland’s win over the Dallas Cowboys on October 4. They’re heading into a huge matchup on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers hoping to beat their divisional rivals for the first time in 17 years. Stefanski doesn’t want to consider the possibility that ODB can’t play:
“I don’t know if I want to go there yet. He’s a big part of what we do.”
To this point, there hasn’t been a serious reaction in the betting marketplace to the ODB illness. The game is still on the board everywhere showing the Pittsburgh Steelers as a -3.5 point home favorite with the total set at 51. The Browns have another injury concern–quarterback Baker Mayfield has a ribs injury and has been limited in practice this week. He’s listed as ‘probable’ for Sunday’s game. Running back Kareem Hunt remains limited with a thigh injury and WR Jarvis Landry missed a second consecutive day dealing with an injury to his hip and ribs. Landry is also listed as ‘probable’ for the Steelers game:
