TAMPA, Fla — The New Orleans Saints' head coach Sean Payton has tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced Friday on Twitter.
"Per NFL protocols, Payton will be out for 10 days unless he meets the league requirements for a fully vaccinated individual to return to the team environment," the Saints wrote.
The Saints are scheduled to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in front of a national audience Sunday night. However, Payton won't be at the helm. Instead, the team announced that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will assume head coaching duties during Sunday night's game.
If Payton meets the league's requirements to return, he will be back to coach the Dec. 27 game against the Miami Dolphins, the team said.
Payton had participated in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday morning but missed practice later that day. The team said he was "under the weather," but had tested negative for COVID-19 at the time. He returned to practice on Thursday, and the team announced the positive test Friday.
The news of Payton's positive test comes just one day after the NFL announced it was changing its COVID-19 protocols to "address the increase in cases and the advent of the Omicron variant."
As part of its protocol changes, it is requiring masks regardless of vaccination status, and remote or outdoor meetings. It also is stopping in-person meals, adding restrictions on activities outside the facility, prohibiting outside visitors during team travel, and limiting the number of people in team weight rooms.
The league also said it would continue advocating for booster shots.
The updated protocols will be enforced through Week 15 games, but are likely to continue or even be strengthened after that point.
Several teams have had to deal with a rise in COVID-19 cases as the end of the regular season draws closer.
As of Thursday, the Los Angeles Rams had a whopping 25 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. A team spokesman said the Rams have been in contact with the league to gauge their options in case they don’t have enough players to field a full team Sunday at SoFi Stadium against the Seattle Seahawks.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears were missing its offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators because of COVID-19. The Bears are set to play Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings. The Bears also have numerous players on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
The Cleveland Browns have also been hit hard. On Wednesday, the virus shelved coach Kevin Stefanski and quarterback Baker Mayfield, whose status for this week remains in question. The Browns previously had 17 players, including 10 starters, on the COVID-19 list and are placing safety Ronnie Harrison there. Starting safety James Johnson III and nickel back Troy Hill both tested positive on Wednesday and rookie cornerback Greg Newsome II has been ruled out with a concussion.
In total, approximately 100 players across the 32 teams have tested positive this week.