Covid-19 issues don't affect Steelers in win; team facility will get deep cleaning

The Steelers will have Monday off. That’s not unusual after a victory in the second half of the season. But what is unusual about this particular “victory Monday” is that UPMC Rooney Sports Complex team headquarters will undergo a deep cleaning.

According to team spokesman Burt Lauten, the facility will be closed to all except those players who require access to the training room — and even that only during a limited timeframe.

Tight end Vance McDonald tested positive for coronavirus last week, and he cannot re-join the team until the middle of this week at the earliest. Assistant offensive line coach Adrian Klemm and reserve running back Anthony McFarland were not with the team during Sunday’s game because of illness.

Four players deemed high-risk contacts to McDonald were isolated from the team for five days last week, most notably quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. But all four were activated off the reserve/covid-19 list Saturday after testing negative for the disease every day last week.

The others who did not practice all week while on the list were Vince Williams, Jerald Hawkins and Jaylen Samuels.

Williams started at inside linebacker, Hawkins filled his usual role as an extra offensive lineman at times and Samuels played on special teams.

McFarland missed two days of practice because of illness, but he was not placed on the reserve/covid-19 list. That indicates he has not tested positive.

McDonald missed practice Nov. 6 because of illness but was coming up negative in daily tests until the test he took the day of the Steelers’ win at the Dallas Cowboys came back positive the day after the game.

The Steelers spent this past week in the NFL’s “intensive protocol” for covid-19. Tomlin was asked if they will this week, too.

“I’d imagine we are going to remain where we are,” he said. “I don’t know how comfortable I am. I don’t know if any of us are comfortable, but we better be comfortable with what it is we are needed to do, and that’s work our tails off to remain covid-free and safeguard ourselves and each other, and that’s what we’re committed to.”

The Bengals on Sunday were without four assistant coaches because of covid-19: wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell, inside linebackers coach Al Golden, secondary/cornerbacks coach Steve Jackson and senior defensive assistant Mark Duffner.

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