Steelers-Titans game will not be played in Week Four

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We learned on Wednesday that the Titans and Steelers would not be playing as scheduled on Sunday.

On Thursday, we found out that the two teams will not be playing at all in Week Four.

The NFL announced that the game will be rescheduled until later in the season. The league said the decision was made after one more Titans player and one other team personnel member tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. There were eight positive tests on Tuesday and one other player tested positive on Wednesday.

The league’s statement also said that the Titans facility will remain closed until further notice.

No word was given on when the league might look to play the game, but Week Seven looks like a good bet. The Titans are scheduled for a bye that week while the Steelers are set to play the Ravens. Baltimore and Pittsburgh both have scheduled byes in Week Eight, however, and they could move the Ravens bye up a week to account for this week’s change in schedule.

69 responses to “Steelers-Titans game will not be played in Week Four

  1. The league should of reduced the season to 12 Games September October November and December plays Games that have to be rescheduled and January February Bubble teams that are in the playoffs and Superbowl.

  2. It is terrible when these teams effectively lose their bye week after spending most of the week prepping rather them healing.

    I remember the 08 Ravens had this happen vs the texans in week 2 and they made the afc title game as a wild card team so by the time the game was played the Ravens played 18 straight weeks.

  3. So because the Titans screwed up, the Steelers have to play 13 games in a row. The NFL should have made other plans for something like this, including extending the season by a week or two at the end for make up games. Amd if it takes 2 weeks quarantine, how can the Titans play even next week?

  4. “The NFL should have made other plans for something like this, including extending the season by a week or two at the end for make up games.”

    ————————————–

    Of course. That’s why they pay Roger Goodell the big bucks.

  5. Just play the games as scheduled with the players who are available at that time. Treat Covid positive players as if they are injured.

  6. If this schedule change is made, it’s completely unfair to the Steelers, who did nothing wrong, in the following ways:

    1. Steelers do not get a real Bye week (have been practicing all week for a game on Sunday)
    2. Steelers play 13 games in a row
    3. Steelers play 3 game straight on the road
    4. Steelers play their primary division rival (Ravens) after the Ravens get a bye week

    I thought teams exanded practice squads for this very reason? Titans not having a tight ship should not affect other teams! Field a team or forfeit…

  7. They should not be allowed to leave the hotel except when they go home and their families need to limit interaction as well. They want to have the game then players need to take proper precautions or face severe penalties (suspension). They are being paid so much, they can stay in. Or maybe not, as the kid from Cleveland told us, “You can’t just stay in the whole day.” Ok then do not play and let someone else who is willing to listen take the pay. My guess is someone from the Titans interacted with someone outside or decided to go out.

  8. I think the team with the positive tests should still have to play (obviously without the players who were positive). Treat it like they are injured, and get the “next man up”. Look at Oakland, who recently broke protocol by attending an event maskless. Why should Oakland’s opponent have to endure the consequence of altering their schedule due to the irresponsibility of the opponent. It is up to the team to enforce protocols at all times.If they break protocol, they, and they only, should have to deal with the consequences

  9. Wasn’t the point of the expanded rosters and looser practice squad rules to avoid this situation? They really should have built in more flexibility with a second bye.
    What if the Titans are still getting positive cases next week? What if one of their future opponents has an outbreak and things have to be reshuffled again? There are going to be competitive disadvantages no matter what is decided.

  10. Its a good wakeup to the player to continue playing it tight and self-policing.

    The reality is, if you don’t unnecessarily go out and about, and you keep your mask on for essential activities, you’re unlikely to get it.

    The issue here is that someone in the Titans, staff or player, likely slipped. We don’t yet know who or how or why, and probably will never know – but the rest of the league better keep it tight. Now is not the time for anti-science stances. Wear your masks. And keep your non-essential activities to a minimum.

  11. Prediction: As more teams have positive tests and games get canceled they will have no choice but to change strategy. I think they will shift playoff ranking to percentage based vs overall wins. Moving games works now but wont work when 3 or 4 teams test positive. It is what it is, enjoy what we have.

  12. The Titans didn’t do anything wrong. A player could have got the virus pumping gas or buying groceries. Who knows? There zero evidence of any Titan players being unsafe in any manner. Unlike the Raiders. No need to blame our team, because your team could be impacted next.

  13. How is this possible? The NFL really never considered how to ensure the game could be played if a handful of players on one team tested positive? Embarrassing lack of planning by the NFL here given how long they had to prepare and the examples from other pro sports leagues like MLB, who completed a season without a bubble.

  14. I saw Taylor Lewan get interviewed about 10 days ago on the Pat McAfee show from the Titans facility. His little buddy Will Compton was banging on the window of the room Taylor was in. Will had no mask on and was obviously walking all around the facility like that. What a moron. And Taylor is no better.

    The Titans should get hefty fines for obvious failures to comply with protocols.

  15. edukator44 says:
    October 1, 2020 at 10:03 am
    bye weeks start next week. its not that big of a deal to have the bye week this week
    —————————-
    They bye weeks are assigned with the rest of the team’s schedule in mind. This completely changes that. Steelers would play 13 games in a row now, 7 on the road.

  16. We may never find out how but it would be interesting to know how the Titans were infected. We know with the Marlins it was carelessness while traveling. That resulted in policy changes. I guess if we see policy changes coming from the NFL we may have a clue what happened.

  17. There are going to be many decisons by the league that are going to be deemed ‘unfair’ as the season progresses.

    it’s not Godells fault Covid -19 happened.

    This will be an ‘unfair’ season for many teams. For some it will be a benefit. For some it will be a negative.

    Basketball,baseball,hockey had drastic changes.

    Just the way it is.

    there is one possible additional week. In 2001 season the superbowl break became one week instead of 2.

  18. The Steelers played all their games last year without Ben R. The Broncos lost Von Miller this year and are still playing. The Giants lost Saquan for the year, and they are still playing. This is nuts. Call players up from the expanded practice squad. Sign guys off the street the way they did in the strike year. How is this fair to Pittsburgh or the next team that has a game postponed because the opponent could not follow the rules?

  19. Ya’ll are acting like this couldn’t happen to ANY team.

    Every team has 2 types of players.
    1) Players & personnel who are taking this seriously and doing all the right things.
    2) Players & personnel who do not

    Your team has both those types of guys too, they have just been lucky so far. If you really think an NFL team with 53 on the active roster, 18 on the PS, plus another few dozen staffers has 100% compliance at all times you’re a fool.

    It could be one guy, a lowly equipment manager, who got it from a gas pump and it spread.

  20. its almost as though the NFL doesn’t care about my fantasy team.

    Need to have a chit chat with Goddell.

  21. The Titans have players testing positive for three straight days. They cannot play a game until they know who is infected and who is not. If they get together to practice, more players could become infected.

  22. Hate to see it, but if it keeps the Chiefs from steamrolling to a 16-0 regular season and repeating in the SB, I’m OK with a shortened/broken COVID-19 season.

  23. “ The Titans didn’t do anything wrong”???? Obviously protocol WAS not followed or they would not have become infected. So yes, they did do something wrong. It could be as simple as not wearing your mask properly or not social distancing or not washing your hands.

  24. Does the league think this is an isolated incident? NO, Covid infections will happen again to other teams this year. What happens when we have an inevitable breakout or three in weeks 12-17? The contingency plan should have been to allow for additional make-up weeks at the end of the season. This game should have been played. Poor foresight and a poor plan Goodell!

  25. I guess I’m alone, but I don’t see why they simply couldn’t have moved the game to Pittsburgh. Tennessee still has over 50 players – starters and PS players – not affected.

  26. Watching the game last week in the beginning they said ‘oh, and the linebacker coach isn’t with the team after testing positive yesterday’ wait, WHAT? And all the players he was around are playing?? Simply because they’re negative? Good job sinking the league.

    The game last weekend shouldn’t have been played.

    The Vikings shouldn’t be playing this weekend either.

    Maybe it all started from the Titans offensive lineman that attended a college party at the end of training camp. Maybe that’s how it got it.

  27. The league is absolutely doing the right thing here. The logistics seem to have worked out perfectly. To err on the side of caution is what must be done to keep the games moving forward. I don’t want to see the league force two undefeated programs to play and possibly wreck the season for both…. then everyone else.

  28. “So because the Titans screwed up, the Steelers have to play 13 games in a row.”
    ” …it’s completely unfair to the Steelers, who did nothing wrong…”
    “This completely changes that. Steelers would play 13 games in a row now, 7 on the road.”
    “How is this fair to Pittsburgh… ”

    ———————————-

    And it begins.

  29. Make the players and anyone else that tests positive, sit out and replace them with practice team players…. This would double down on how teams stress to their players to be vigilant when protecting against getting Covid….

  30. “No word was given on when the league might look to play the game,” …. but the captain is certainly looking for the best way to rearrangee the deck chairs on the Titanic.

    It takes only one person to ruin things for a whole team. The DK Metcalf “fumble” tells you all you need to know about players behaving responsibly and the NFL making it through a full 16 game season. This is only week 4 and there is already a cancelled game.

    Does anybody seriously think things will get better from here and that all teams have to do is somehow play just 1 game that was postponed in their 1 bye week? The math does not add up.

  31. For Steelers fans complaining that it isn’t fair for them to reschedule the game – Apparently you think it’s just fine to play the game this week while the Titans don’t get a chance to practice. This season isn’t about fairness; it’s about getting through it as best you can.

  32. pointtwopsiistheissue says:
    October 1, 2020 at 10:51 am
    “ The Titans didn’t do anything wrong”???? Obviously protocol WAS not followed or they would not have become infected. So yes, they did do something wrong. It could be as simple as not wearing your mask properly or not social distancing or not washing your hands.

    ——————

    And if you think they’re the only ones who slip up you’re a fool.

  33. Just add a week between week 17 and the playoffs to play make up games. Every team gets one free Covid postponed game, after the first they take a loss.

  34. brwmstr says:
    October 1, 2020 at 11:09 am
    Make the players and anyone else that tests positive, sit out and replace them with practice team players…. This would double down on how teams stress to their players to be vigilant when protecting against getting Covid….

    ——————-

    I don’t think anyone has a problem with this other than the fact that they still have players testing positive. The full scope isn’t known yet so you can’t go forward with the game when there are players who haven’t tested positive yet that still potentially could.

  35. pointtwopsiistheissue says:
    October 1, 2020 at 10:51 am
    “ The Titans didn’t do anything wrong”???? Obviously protocol WAS not followed or they would not have become infected. So yes, they did do something wrong. It could be as simple as not wearing your mask properly or not social distancing or not washing your hands.
    ——————————————————————
    It’s possible that players who are sick did follow protocol but got the virus from someone who didn’t. Maybe they went to the grocery store and wore a mask but passed by someone who wasn’t wearing one and had the virus. The studies have shown that masks are not for your own protection but everyone else’s. Remember that your team could be next.

  36. As a Steelers fan, I don’t see any unfairness and neither does Tomlin nor the team. They all knew that this could happen at any time during the season. So they play whatever games in a row. Remember when football was football and they played a 16 game season without byes? I am sure the players will welcome the next 4 days off and then it is back to work. This will not be the last case of this.

  37. Total BS to cancel game or move it.
    If they have 11 people they should be forced to play or forfeit. They broke protocols they pay the price.
    Call up 11 practice squad and go field a team.
    That will wake up every employee to how serious and diligent they must be until after SB.

  38. My prediction was once the browns get to 6-1 the season will be cancelled.

    So they’re 2-1, first time over .500 since forever ago, Baker’s doing OK, Beckham caught a pass the other day and now they start cancelling games. So its coming, it all hinges on the Browns record…

  39. How about pushing back the Super Bowl a week to 2/14, President’s Day weekend? Allows for flexibility to COVID?

  40. Football God says:

    October 1, 2020 at 9:41 am

    The league should of reduced the season to 12 Games September October November and December plays Games that have to be rescheduled and January February Bubble teams that are in the playoffs and Superbowl.

    —–
    It’s hard to believe you know better when you start with “should of”. Its should’ve which broken down is should have. Outside of that the plan you I said is horrible which has huge flaws without even looking close. With your setup a team who didnt have a game cancelled and clinched the playoffs could go 4 plus weeks without playing a game which puts them at a disadvantage. It was always known this season could be adjusted as they went which is actually the least of all evils.

  41. Move the Super Bowl a week to 2/14, President’s Day weekend & add a 2nd bye week for all teams for flexibility

  42. Steelers fans should be happy that the game will not be played this week otherwise many Steelers players would have been infected by the irresponsible Titans.

  43. This should also call into question the accuracy of their testing. If these players are tested daily, that means some of them that tested negative actually had the virus and were allowed to play. It’s going to happen more across the league.

  44. Yes, my username is titanhomer. I agree with many comments such as why not “the games must go on” and “not fair to Steelers”. However, I also think that because this is the first incident, the NFL decided to use it as a learning opportunity.

    Had they decided to play – even on Mon or Tuesday – and that game resulted in additional infections, everyone would be screaming “Why did they even risk playing?”. Since there is now no game, they can still test everyday and see what they learn. They might learn that things would have been fine if they played the game with the people they had. They might instead have late detection of more cases and learn that they avoided a PR disaster in playing the game.

    It is also true that the NFL won’t have this kind of flexibility for every occurrence. Eventually, there won’t be a way to push it back by trading off bye weeks. All of which makes it more important to learn now and be more ready for it when it happens again. Perhaps – this is hopeful – they will learn that it would have been okay to push the game to Monday night and play it. I sure hope so. None of want to hear the complaining of a 12-4 team that wins a division or seed over an 11-4 team that had their Jets game cancelled.

  45. So 8 players tested positive and would be out.
    Wasn’t that the same number of Patriots that opted out? Next man up!

  46. The problem is, no one thinks “they” are the one spreading it, when it still has not sunken in, that people do not know they have it. That is the entire problem with this virus an the ignorant people.

  47. As a Titans fan, and former coach… the only positive from this is the satisfaction of seeing all the steelers fans crying. It’s glorious
    Get well soon Titans!

  48. The NFL screwed up. They should have planned for the inevitable infections by shortening the season to around 12 games and giving each team 3 or 4 bye weeks. The extra bye weeks would allow teams to adjust to having infected players.

  49. thevoice0freason says:

    October 1, 2020 at 10:13 am

    How is this possible? The NFL really never considered how to ensure the game could be played if a handful of players on one team tested positive? Embarrassing lack of planning by the NFL here given how long they had to prepare and the examples from other pro sports leagues like MLB, who completed a season without a bubble.

    ———
    You use MLB as an example but it seems you actually didn’t follow the season because this was EXACTLY what MLB did. They postponed games when there was an outbreak and some games were made up and some were not, winning percentage was used.

  50. “This should also call into question the accuracy of their testing. If these players are tested daily, that means some of them that tested negative actually had the virus and were allowed to play.”

    Testing does not stop the spread of the virus. Testing is basically a report card on how well a team is doing. After a person is infected, it takes at least a few days before the infection gets large enough to be detectable by a test. So many that test negative one day, could be positive the next day.

    Only wearing masks and distancing will stop the spread of the virus, which is why the NFLwas right to go ballistic about team members not wearing masks.

  51. ariani1985 says:
    October 1, 2020 at 12:08 pm
    1 step closer to no football! 👏
    ———————–
    Spoken like a true Vikings fan.

  52. So maybe they were in the grocery store mask but passed by someone who wasn’t wearing one and had the virus. The studies have shown that masks are not for your own protection but everyone else’s. Remember that your team could be next.
    ————
    Well if they passed by someone and got the virus they weren’t following social distancing guidelines then! No matter where are you need to wash your hands wear your mask and social distance and if you don’t follow those protocols you will get infected no matter where you are!

  53. The NFL has a problem. We’re only in week 4. More troubling is society as a whole. The Titans are based in Nashville a moderate-climate city. What happens in a month up north? If you look at the charts in 1918 for NYC this is when the rates of both infections and deaths started to rise. Starting in early October a noticeable uptick took place and then in mid-October it really took off. By Halloween the country was in a world of hurt. Let’s pray that this time is better.

  54. Awesome precendent, NFL: Don’t want to play that tough opponent next week, or maybe have a key injury or two? No problem: ‘Rona it up and you don’t have to!

  55. pointtwopsiistheissue says:
    October 1, 2020 at 10:51 am
    “ The Titans didn’t do anything wrong”???? Obviously protocol WAS not followed or they would not have become infected. So yes, they did do something wrong. It could be as simple as not wearing your mask properly or not social distancing or not washing your hands.

    ——————

    And if you think they’re the only ones who slip up you’re a fool.
    ——————————————-

    What??? I simply pointed out to a previous poster that yes they did do something wrong, or as you put it “slipped up””
    Seems to me the fool is the person who doesn’t understand that proper protocol was not followed causing the COVID infection.

  56. Living in Tennessee i see half the public wearing masks, the other half not. The entire state loves Trump and thinks masks are lame.

    Trump got big 10 football back, so no worries. He’ll fix this corona hoax right peeps?

  57. Why not just hold those players and staffers out and let those that tested negative play and do next man up?

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