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Weeks after the NBA and other leagues have had players test positive for COVID-19, the NFL now has its first case of the coronavirus.
On Thursday, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton came forward and revealed that he had tested positive for the virus
According to ESPN Payton fell ill over the weekend, got tested Monday and just got the result today.
Via ESPN
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. But now he will be quarantined in his home through the weekend, and he said he is upbeat and optimistic about a full recovery.
Payton says he decided to come forward to raise awareness towards the illness in the hopes that people stay home.
“This is not just about social distancing,” Payton told ESPN. “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.”
Here’s hoping Payton gets better soon.