Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson has tested positive for COVID-19. The Eagles released a statement on Sunday night saying that Pederson is in self-quarantine and “asymptomatic and doing well.”
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 3, 2020
The news was first reported by ESPN’s Tim McManus, who says that Pederson “convened a previously unscheduled team meeting Sunday night to share the news with his players” after receiving a second positive test (hopefully this was a *Zoom* meeting and not in-person, of course).
Pederson convened a previously unscheduled team meeting Sunday night to share the news with his players. He did this after receiving a second positive test result confirming the diagnosis.
Eagles quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Press Taylor was also sent home after being in close contact with Pederson. Taylor has tested negative to this point, according to McManus.
The staffer sent home after being in close contact with Doug Pederson is QB coach/pass game coordinator Press Taylor, sources said. He has tested negative to this point and is following protocol before returning.
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) August 3, 2020
Pederson becomes the second coach to test positive for COVID-19; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton also did so in March. But he’s the first to test positive after the beginning of training camp. The belief is that Pederson contracted COVID-19 outside of the Eagles’ training facility. He will need multiple negative tests to be able to return to the team facility.
Assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley will assume head coaching duties while Pederson is out.
Pederson, 52, has been the Philadelphia head coach since 2016, putting together a 38-26 record (.594 winning percentage) over four seasons. He coached the Eagles to a Super Bowl title in the 2017 season.
The news comes one day after Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was placed on the COVID-19 list, and on the same day the Jacksonville Jaguars placed quarterback Gardner Minshew III and four other players on the COVID-19 list.
