The Baltimore Ravens' preparations for the upcoming 2021 NFL season have taken a huge hit after Lamar Jackson tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the star quarterback to miss their first training camp practice on Wednesday.
According to Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, Jackson reported to Baltimore's training camp last Thursday and had tested negative for COVID-19 for five consecutive days. That all changed on Tuesday when he received a positive test for the coronavirus.
Is Jackson still not vaccinated?
The main concern for Ravens fans is that it appears Jackson remains unvaccinated against COVID-19. According to league rules, unvaccinated players must be subjected to daily testing for COVID-19, which is similar to what was done to Jackson before his positive test.
NFL has decided to implement such a strict rule to encourage more players to get the COVID-19 jab ahead of the new season. Vaccinated players have more freedom under the new rules as they are only required to get tested once every two weeks.
The good news, according to Harbaugh, is that 90 percent of Baltimore's players were already vaccinated, with the vaccination rate still rising. The entire coaching staff of the Ravens had already been immunized by minicamp last month.
Trace McSorley and Tyler Huntley took majority of the snaps at quarterback, with Jackson sidelined for Baltimore's first practice. McSorley impressed with his practice session as he connected on several deep throws to his wide receivers.
This marks the second occasion that Jackson has tested positive for the deadly coronavirus in the past eight months. Last Thanksgiving, the former NFL MVP tested positive for COVID-19 and missed the Baltimore Ravens' game against AFC North rivals Pittsburgh Steelers. Jackson was activated from the team's reserve/COVID-19 list less than two weeks later and suited up for the Ravens in their next game against the Dallas Cowboys.
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Jackson's positive test brings back memories of COVID-19 outbreak last season
COVID-19 wreaked havoc on Baltimore's season last year, with a total of 20 Ravens players, including Jackson, spending time on the reserve/COVID-19 list. They endured a COVID-19 outbreak during the last two months of 2020, with at least one player testing positive on ten consecutive days.
The Ravens can ill afford to have another season hampered by COVID-19. Jackson was not the only player to miss the first practice due to COVID-19, with Harbaugh also announcing that running back Gus Edwards also tested positive for the coronavirus.
Harbaugh declined to elaborate on how long Jackson and Edwards will be sidelined, but the league's new guidelines state that unvaccinated players are required to be isolated for ten days to help combat the spread of the virus. That would be a huge blow to the Ravens, whose first preseason game will be played 17 days from now.
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