Cowboys RT Terence Steele tests positive for COVID-19, out vs. Saints

A COVID-19 outbreak has turned the Dallas Cowboys preparation for their upcoming game on its head.

Right tackle Terence Steele, strength and conditioning coordinator Harold Nash, offensive line assistant Jeff Blasko and offensive assistant Scott Tolzien have all been added to the COVID-19 list. These three join offensive line coach Joe Philbin, who was added to the list ahead of the Thanksgiving Day game against Las Vegas. Neither of the five will travel to New Orleans for Thursday’s game.

This increases the number of players and coaches included in the log to 11 in the last 10 days.

“COVID is always something to think about this year,” said running back Ezekiel Elliott. “We’re having a little breakout right now so the guys just have to make sure we take this extra precaution, making sure we are protecting ourselves, our families and our teammates.”

After learning of the latest positive tests and consulting with league-level officials, the Cowboys changed their schedule dramatically.

The players took a tour of The Star in Frisco late Sunday afternoon. You will practice on Monday.

Everything else on these two days is virtual.

Every player and coach must be tested daily at least until Tuesday. Those who showed up for their tests on Sunday morning were given a breakfast box and sent home to hold virtual meetings.

“This is the best plan for us to move forward,” head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters on a virtual conference call. “We will be in a virtual format today and in a virtual format tomorrow. Tuesday has not yet been decided at this point.

“We pay close attention to it.”

Tight-end coach Lunda Wells has spent time on the offensive while Philbin and Blasko are out. Guardian Zack Martin said Lunda did a good job keeping the group on track.

McCarthy will also be moving additional time there in the days leading up to the Saints game.

“Anyway, I’ll be where I need to be this week,” said McCarthy. “We have some moving parts.”

Before the start of the season, McCarthy said all of his staff’s coaches had been vaccinated. That means any coach that makes it on the list is a breakthrough.

“Of course it’s more difficult,” said rookie Micah Parsons about the virtual format on Sunday. “You have to make sure to be more focused than you would personally.

“It’s a challenge for everyone. But you have to do the job. ”

Amari Cooper Returns: Recipient Amari Cooper should be removed from the COVID-19 list on Monday and is expected to practice.

How much he does remains to be seen.

Cooper, one of the few players in team sources to confirm he wasn’t vaccinated, was added to the list the day before the team left for Kansas City against the Chiefs. He missed that game and the Thanksgiving game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Cowboys lost both games.

McCarthy said he was unaware of the gravity of Cooper’s case or didn’t know what he did while away from the team for 10 days.

“I don’t have any details about it,” said McCarthy. “I talked to [trainer] Jim Mason in particular about Amari this morning and he just had a feeling that conditioning was going to be something we need to get to grips with for any player who has done a 10 day stretch.

“We will know more [Monday] after we have the chance to work with him. ”

In short, receiver CeeDee Lamb, who suffered a concussion in the final game of the first half of the team’s loss to Kansas City and missed the following game against Las Vegas, was at the facility for the walkthrough on Sunday. He has been evicted and is expected to play against New Orleans.

See David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with The Musers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:35 a.m., The Hang Zone every Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., and The Hardline every Tuesday and Friday at 4:30 a.m. : 30 p.m. during the regular season.

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