3 Titans players, 5 personnel test positive for COVID-19; team suspends in-person activities

The Titans on Tuesday confirmed a flurry of positive COVID-19 tests among players and team staff, marking the young NFL season's first potentially disruptive outbreak.

Defensive lineman DaQuan Jones, long snapper Beau Brinkley and tight end Tommy Hudson (who is on the team's practice squad) all were added to the COVID-19 list Tuesday afternoon.

The NFL in a statement on Tuesday morning said that three Titans players and five Titans personnel had tested positive for the coronavirus. The team suspended in-person club activities Tuesday — as did the Vikings, who played the Titans on Sunday.

A source confirmed to the Tennessean that team facilities have been shut down until Saturday.

The Titans are scheduled to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Nissan Stadium. The Steelers said in a statement they have been told to proceed with game preparations for Sunday until they are informed otherwise, according to NFL.com.

The Titans are Nashville's second pro sports team to be impacted. In July, Nashville SC had nine players test positive for the coronavirus, prompting the team to be withdrawn from the MLS Is Back Tournament.

The news comes a day after Titans coach Mike Vrabel revealed that outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen did not travel with the team to Minnesota after a positive test result on Saturday. Tennessee won Sunday's game at U.S. Bank Stadium, 31-30, moving the team to 3-0 on the year.

"We're following the hundred memos (about COVID-19 protocols) that they've (the NFL) sent out verbatim," Vrabel said Monday.

“Out of the abundance of caution, the organization has decided to work remotely today as we follow NFL protocols related to the Covid-19 virus," the team said in a statement. "Several tests have come back positive and are working through the process of confirming them. We will have more information tomorrow.”

Tuesday's media availabilities with the defensive assistant coaches were postponed until later in the week.

The NFL in a statement said: "Both clubs (the Titans and the Vikings) are working closely with the NFL and the NFLPA, including our infectious disease experts, to evaluate close contacts, perform additional testing and monitor developments. All decisions will be made with health and safety as our primary consideration. We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available."

The Vikings did not have any positive tests come back, the team said in a statement.

During the offseason, organized team activities and minicamp were canceled across the league amid the pandemic. COVID-19 protocols were put in place ahead of training camp, and the league had avoided a major outbreak until this week.

Per the NFL, a player who has tested positive and is asymptomatic can return once 10 days have passed since the initial positive test, or five days have passed since the initial positive test and the player receives two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart within that five-day period. Those who show symptoms can return 10 days after the symptoms first appear and 72 hours have passed since any symptoms have ended.

A player who tests positive must be cleared by his team's head physician before returning.

The Titans have had several isolated cases of players being placed on the COVID-19/reserve list since the start of training camp. Titans offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson is currently on the list, which is for players who test positive or who have been around someone who has tested positive.

The NBA and NHL have managed to avoid outbreaks thanks to playing inside so-called bubbles. The NBA playoffs are unfolding inside the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex inside Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida. The NHL had Edmonton and Toronto host games as the two hub cities for its postseason.

Major League Baseball, on the other hand, has not operated inside a bubble and saw several teams experience outbreaks during the regular season, including the Marlins and Cardinals. Both teams were forced to postpone games.

The outbreak within the Titans organization comes as the Nashville area has gained ground on the virus.

Infections and positivity levels peaked in July, but have since fallen to some of their lowest levels since the outbreak was in its infancy in March. According to the Tennessee Department of Health the average positivity rate in Davidson college has fallen to 3.4 percent, fifth best of the state's 95 counties.

City officials have celebrated the progress as fragile, and warned repeatedly that if residents drop their guard, the virus could return in full force.

The progress prompted city officials to announce they would allow a limited number of fans at Sunday's game against Pittsburgh -- if the game is played as scheduled.

Reach Erik Bacharach at [email protected] and on Twitter @ErikBacharach.