Ravens-Steelers Game Moved Again Over Covid-19 Concerns, Becomes First NFL Game To Be Rescheduled Three Times; Other Moves Also Confirmed – Update
2ND UPDATE. 4:10 PM: The NFL confirmed the Ravens-Steelers game has been moved to 3:40 PM ET Wednesday on NBC, and the league noted some other reschedulings as a result.
The Steelers in Week 13 now will host the Washington Football Team at 5 p.m. ET Monday, with the network TBA. That replaces the teams’ contest that originally was slated for Sunday. Also, the Ravens now will host the Dallas Cowboys at 8:05 p.m. Tuesday. That Week 13 contest originally was set for Thursday Night Football next week.
No news yet as to who will play in the now-vacated December 10 TNF game.
UPDATED, 2:59 PM: Will the third time be the charm for the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers? CBS Sports confirmed today that the AFC North rivals’ game that originally was set for primetime on Thanksgiving but was moved to Sunday after multiple positive Covid-19 tests then pushed again to Tuesday, now will be played Wednesday.
The news comes as more than 20 Ravens players and staff have been infected, including star quarterback Lamar Jackson, and some Steelers players have been placed on the reserve/Covid list, including starting runner James Conner.
No word yet on a time for Wednesday’s planned game at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
CBS Sports’ NFL reporter Jason La Canfora confirmed the news today, but the NFL, Steelers and Ravens had yet to follow suit as of 3 p.m. PT Monday. ESPN La Canfora also said plans are in motion for the Steelers’ next scheduled game, set for Sunday against the Washington Football Team, might be moved as well. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter was the first to break news of the Wednesday move, citing a source.
PREVIOUSLY, November 27: The Baltimore Ravens now will play the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday night after a further outbreak of Covid-19 made a second postponement of the game necessary.
The Ravens will play the undefeated Steelers at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday night , the NFL announced today. The game originally was scheduled for primetime Thanksgiving night, then moved to Sunday night.
The Ravens-Steelers move also caused another shuffle. Baltimore was scheduled to play host to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football next week. Now that game has been moved to at 5 p.m. ET Monday, Dec. 7.
The NFL is running out of potential maneuvers with its schedule. Most teams have used up their bye weeks, and the regular season ends at the end of December.
This is the third time in the Super Bowl era that an NFL game will be played on Tuesday. It also happened in Week 5 this season when the Bills-Titans game was postponed, and a 2010 blizzard in Philadelphia moved an Eagles-Vikings game.
At least 12 Ravens players have tested positive for Covid-19, including Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who will be out for Tuesday’s game, owing to league rules on quarantining after a positive test. The Ravens will go with Robert Griffin III against Pittsburgh.
Jackson will start against the Cowboys, if he tests negative by next week.
The Steelers earlier this year saw their Week 4 game against the Titans moved. That contest initially was moved to “either Monday or Tuesday” of that week, thanks to a Titans outbreak. The league eventually pushed the game back even more, rearranging the schedule for the Steelers and Titans to play in Week 7 and the Steelers to face the Ravens in Week 8.
Erik Pedersen contributed to this report.
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