Baker Mayfield hasn’t thrown a ball in four days. The Browns haven’t trained this week.
It seems like a curse is hanging over Cleveland’s return to the postseason.
For the second day in a row, the team’s facilities and training center were closed due to a COVID-19 outbreak that knocked out coach Kevin Stefanski from Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh and caused chaos in the Browns’ preparation. .
The possibility that the wild card game was postponed seemed to arise, after Dr. Allen Sills, director of the league’s medical office, told the NFL Network “there was a spread from one individual to another,” among the Browns.
However, a league spokesman said Thursday that “there is no change in the status of the game” at Heinz Field.
As his first postseason appearance draws near, Mayfield indicated he is doing his best to enlist at home.
“A lot of exercises with elastic bands and taking advantage of the weight of the body,” said the quarterback. “I do exercises with my feet and trying to coordinate movements. I just get up, I move as I can ”.
The Browns and their hardened fans have waited nearly 20 years to feel the excitement of the postseason again. But the return is now affected by situations beyond its control.
Still, Mayfield said he and his teammates will do everything they can to represent the team well in the wild-card game – their second meeting with the Steelers in eight days.
The Browns’ changing COVID-19 roster was on the move again.
Safety Ronnie Harrison became the most recent player to test positive and will be out Sunday. Harrison joins Pro Bowl chosen guard Joel Bitonio, cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson, linebacker Malcolm Smith, catcher KhaDarel Hodge and tight end Harrison Bryant.
On Wednesday, starting linebacker BJ Goodson was activated and safety Andrew Sendejo was pulled off the roster on Thursday.
The Browns will not have Stefanski and five assistant coaches.
For special teams coordinator Mike Priefer, the scenario heading into Sunday’s game is something he considered likely due to the pandemic. He never imagined it would be in the postseason.
Priefer will handle the duties of the match – offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will decide the plays. And the Browns will play for the first time in the postseason since January 5, 2003.
There’s at least one thing the Browns won’t have to worry about: More hostile fans waving the Terrible Towels.
Pennsylvania state authorities denied Pittsburgh’s request to increase capacity from 2,500 to 6,500 fans. Cleveland will try to end a 17-game losing streak at Pittsburgh, now without the screaming.
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