Philadelphia Eagles confirm Doug Pederson tests positive for Coronavirus

Well, we were told the Philadelphia Eagles are prepared for anything.

At the time of this story being published, a week hasn’t even passed by. On the final Monday of July, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson met with several members of the media via a Zoom meeting and stated that the “Birds” had a contingency plan for just about everything that could go wrong.

Not even seven days later, as the final hours of the first Sunday of August ticked away, Eagles fans were finishing up dinner on the East Coast and probably getting ready for dinner on the other side of the country when the news hit.

“Birds” head coach Doug Pederson, the same one we had just spoken to on Monday, has tested positive for Coronavirus. Well, he did say they were ready for anything. Let’s hope that tackling the rigors of training camp without the head coach was prepared for and practiced in some emergency protocol. Tim Mcmanus was among the first to break the news.

So, what’s next for the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans?

Almost a half an hour after the news sent shockwaves through Philly’s fan base, the Eagles released a statement via their Twitter account. Take a look at the verbiage from that one.

"We received confirmation this evening that Head Coach Doug Pederson tested positive for COVID-19. Pederson is asymptomatic and doing well. He is currently in self-quarantine and in communication with the team’s medical staff. The organization is following the protocols established by the NFL and the NFLPA. Any individuals in close contact with Pederson at our facility have been notified and will continue with daily testing procedures and compliance with all protocols before returning to the facility."

Add Pederson’s name to a list that also includes Jordan Mailata, Nathan Gerry, and Lane Johnson as reports of all three tested positive began circulating on July 29th, Being that Coach Pederson has been diagnosed as asymptomatic, he can return five days after he’s able to produce two tests that are negative, or he can return or after ten days after his first positive test, whichever comes first. Running backs coach and assistant head coach Duce Staley will serve in the head coach’s role until he’s able to return.

If Pederson shows any symptoms in the meantime, he won’t be allowed access to the NovaCare Complex until ten or more days pass from the date that symptoms were first noticed. In addition to that, three days must pass from the time of the last instance of notable symptoms. Keep your fingers crossed if you’re an Eagles fan. One, because naturally, the most important matter is that he’ll be okay. Second, because everyone wants life to get back to normal for him as soon as possible and for him to return to work fully functioning and healthy.