Ravens-Steelers officially postponed to Wednesday due to COVID-19 outbreak

The Ravens-Steelers game meant for Thanksgiving will get postponed again.

The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers were set to face off as the nightcap of a Thanksgiving triple-header, but that tantalizing primetime game was postponed after several Baltimore stars tested positive for COVID-19. The NFL decided playing on Tuesday simply wasn’t safe, forcing the third postponement of this contest.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter has confirmed that the league is postponing this game for the third time as the Ravens and Steelers continue to battle outbreaks of COVID-19. The game will now take place on Wednesday night. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk has mentioned that some feared a potential “wildcat strike” from Ravens players, so they decided to push this contest back a day.

The Ravens and Steelers are both dealing with positive COVID-19 cases

The Ravens, who disciplined a coach after he was found to have walked around the team facility without wearing a mask, are dealing with a legitimate outbreak, as several star players, including starting quarterback Lamar Jackson and running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram, have tested positive. Altogether, Baltimore has 20 players on the COVID-19 reserve list, with only third-string quarterback Trace McSorley and cornerback Iman Marshall having been placed on the list prior to this week.

Mike Tomlin and his Steelers aren’t totally safe, either, as running back James Conner tested positive for the virus during the week.

While making a “Week 18” in which any games postponed due to COVID-19 would’ve been the most practical option, the league is strangely against that idea, instead choosing to play musical chairs as they try to shift games around.

The Steelers were scheduled to play the Washington Football Team on Sunday, with Baltimore scheduled to take on the Dallas Cowboys on Monday. Both games will likely need to be pushed back by one day.

COVID-19 is ravaging both sides in this game, but the NFL thinks that one more week could help them buy enough time to get healthy and compete in this vital AFC North matchup.