Alabama football: At least 5 Crimson Tide players test positive for COVID-19

At least five Alabama football players diagnosed with COVID-19.

At least five Alabama football players were diagnosed with the novel coronavirus after reporting back to campus.

The news comes from 247Sports’ Bama Online who reports at least five players tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to campus with voluntary workouts set to begin on June 8.

According to Simone Eli, the players were tested Tuesday, practiced together Wednesday and received the positive test results on Thursday. None of the players showed signs or symptoms.

Further, nearly 50 Alabama football players were together on the band field on Tuesday and now all of them are in quarantine. The players who tested positive were not named but it’s reportedly one lineman, a couple of skill position players and one quarterback. And it should be noted, this was just the players hanging out on their own. This wasn’t a voluntary workout or an organized team activity.

This isnt a total surprise and was expected to a degree which is why there were plans and procedures put in place before allowing the return of students to campus.

The five players who were diagnosed were immediately isolated and put into quarantine and contact tracing will follow.

Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne was prepared for this to happen

“The health and safety of everyone, including our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans has been, and will continue to be at the forefront as we prepare to return,” Byrne said in May. “We appreciate the leadership and guidance of the Southeastern Conference and its Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force throughout this situation to best equip our campuses with educational materials and recommendations on best practices.

“Resumption of voluntary in-person activity is an important step in moving us towards the fall athletic season, which we are fully preparing for with a phased approach beginning June 8. In addition to our public health officials, we are fortunate to have an elite sports medicine staff here at Alabama, from our athletic trainers to our team doctors that we will continue to take direction from as we make decisions for a safe return.

“We look forward to welcoming back our student-athletes, coaches and staff to campus.”

Alabama football players test positive for COVID-19

An outbreak previously hit construction workers who were working on Bryant-Denny Stadium renovations earlier. The five players who are positive for COVID-19 may not be the last at Alabama as the spread of the virus continues to spread across the country.

Oklahoma State football was hit with three positive tests, including one from Amen Ogbongbemiga who tested positive after taking part in a peaceful protest in Tulsa. Iowa State football has a positive case as well.

More players are going to test positive and coaches and team personnel may too. It’s the nature of the virus and resuming a sense of normal life where social distancing is much trickier when practicing and training for football and other organized team activities.

It’s what university presidents, athletic directors, coaches and players have been focused on for months, but they have to figure out how to live with the virus and test and treat it that will allow for the sports to resume without a total work stoppage which happened when Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive and the NBA and the rest of sports stopped.

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