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Lindsey ThiryESPN
Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen has tested positive for COVID-19, he told Fox Sports. A Rams spokesperson confirmed the diagnosis Wednesday, adding that Allen felt slight symptoms but is feeling much better.
The 24-year-old is the first active player in the NFL to publicly acknowledge that he has tested positive for the virus.
Allen, who is preparing for his third season as a pro, was spending his offseason at the Rams’ training facility to undergo rehabilitation treatment on a knee injury when he began to feel symptoms three weeks ago.
The Rams’ training facility has since been closed for the past two weeks and cleaned thoroughly, according to a Rams spokesperson. Players who must undergo rehabilitation have since returned this week.
Allen told Fox Sports that he lost his sense of smell and taste, had a sore throat, fatigue and headaches. He is expected to be cleared of the virus this week.
Last week, Rams coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead each were asked if anyone in the organization was directly affected by the coronavirus.
“Everybody is doing really well,” McVay said. “Just out of respect, there’s been a couple guys that, you know, we’ve had some conversations with, but they’re in a good place right now. Just out of the respect for the privacy, I don’t want to get into anybody’s specific names, but everybody is in a good spot.”
Said Snead: “I’m not going to go into that.”
A fourth-round pick from Michigan State in 2018, Allen played a limited role on offense as a rookie. Last season, he took over as the starting center and started nine games before he suffered a season-ending knee injury. He has appeared in 22 games in his two seasons.
While no active NFL players had previously said they tested positive, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and one unidentified member of the Los Angeles Chargers organization have tested positive, while two others on the Chargers have shown symptoms.