ATLANTA — Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell became the first NFL player ruled out for a game because of a positive test for the coronavirus Saturday, but it won’t cost the Bears a chance at their third win Sunday.
The Falcons put Terrell on the reserve/COVID list Saturday and conducted contact tracing to determine whether they have an outbreak. The team did not produce any more positive results in testing that was returned both Saturday and Sunday, sources confirmed to the Sun-Times.
That means the Bears will play the Falcons as scheduled: at noon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Terrell, 22, appears to be asymptomatic. He was the Falcons’ first-round pick in the spring and might have started Sunday.
The Bears flew to Atlanta after meetings Saturday at Halas Hall and proceeded as if the game would start as planned. Coach Matt Nagy has changed the team’s travel schedule for road games this season to minimize the amount of time spent in hotels.
The Bears haven’t put any players on the reserve/COVID list since clearing tight end Eric Saubert and defensive tackle John Jenkins to return Aug. 3.
‘‘Everything that’s been given to us from management to stay spaced out, to wear your masks, the little things that matter — we can’t get relaxed on those issues,’’ Nagy said heading into the first road trip to Detroit. ‘‘We’re just trying to do everything we can to prevent the risk of having any cases of COVID.’’
