New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton tests positive for coronavirus
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton became the next major sports figure to test positive for the new coronavirus, according to a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Payton, who is the first person in the NFL to test positive, told Schefter that he wasn’t feeling well on Sunday and took the test for COVID-19 on Tuesday.
The positive results came back on Thursday.
According to the report, Payton is among the 20 percent of new coronavirus cases that include no fever and no cough. He will be quarantined at home through the weekend.
Payton told ESPN that he came forward to bring further awareness to the disease.
“This is not just about social distancing,” Payton said. “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.”
Some of the bigger names in the sports world that have tested positive are Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert.
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 3:51 PM.
