After facing Bears, the Panthers add player to reserve/COVID-19 list

One day after playing the Bears, the Panthers sent their players and coaches home from their practice facility until Wednesday after discovering a positive coronavirus test Monday morning. Later in the day, they put guard Michael Schofield on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

While that’s certainly concerning for the Bears, the team did not have a positive test of its own Monday. Schofield — from Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park —played five special teams snaps in Sunday’s 23-16 Bears win. Last week, Dr. Allen Sills, the league’s chief medical officer, said the NFL has yet to confirm a case of coronavirus transmission from one team to another on the field.

Because the Bears don’t play again until “Monday Night Football” in Los Angeles, their normal schedule will keep players at home — except for traveling to the Halas Hall parking lot for their daily tests — until Wednesday. Coach Matt Nagy conducted his regular media availability Monday from Halas Hall.

Panthers coach Matt Rhule told reporters, in a conference call from his home, that he learned about the positive test at 4:48 a.m. Monday. Friday, the Panthers put another backup offensive lineman, center Tyler Larsen, on the same list.

The Panthers have been operating under league-mandated precautionary measures since a member of the Falcons, whom they played in Week 5, was put on the same list. Panthers players had to pass a point-of-care test to enter the practice facility, and then wear masks and gloves during practice.

The Bears might be forced to operate in a similar fashion this week.

The Bears have one player on the reserve/COVID-19 list: practice squad tackle Badara Traore, who took an Oct. 9 test that was positive. Offensive line coach Juan Castillo stayed home last week after coming into contact with a coronavirus-positive person in his personal life.