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Cowboys Ex ‘Dez Caught It’? Yup - Ravens Put Him On COVID IR

Dallas Cowboys Ex ‘Dez Caught It’? Yup - Baltimore Ravens Put WR Bryant on COVID IR

Todd Karpovich

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Despite claims he tested negative, Dez Bryant was officially placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Dec. 10, the Ravens announced.

The veteran wide receiver had said earlier in the day that he tested negative for COVID-19 just 48 hours after he was scratched from the game against Dallas because of a positive test.

Bryant made his announcement a few hours after coach John Harbaugh addressed the media. Harbaugh did not confirm this information but expected Bryant to return to the team when he was fully healthy.

The Ravens quashed the intrigue by formally ruling him out for at least 10 days.

"He's doing as well as can be expected," Harbaugh said. "I think he's a little stunned by it. He's trying to work his way through it right now."

Bryant was officially scratched about 30 minutes prior to the Week 13 kickoff against Dallas because of an "Illness," according to the team. He revealed on Twitter he tested positive for COVID-19.

READ MORE: BREAKING: Dez Bryant COVID Test Means He's Out For Cowboys Game

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“The timing of this thing, it’s a crazy kind of a deal," Harbaugh said after the Ravens 34-17 victory. "But we had already turned in our inactives, and then we were informed. [Executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta] came down and told me that Dez had an inconclusive test, and they were retesting with one of the quick tests they have, the Mesa test. We had to wait on that.

“In the meantime, the league told us we would not be allowed to bring a different player up if he tested positive, but if he tested positive, he wasn’t going to be allowed to play.”

Bryant was poised to play for the first time against his former team, the Cowboys. He was one of the first Ravens on the field for individual warmups almost three hours before the game. However, he did not appear on the field for team warmups, likely after the positive test.

He reportedly was tested the morning of the game and the results were inconclusive. Bryant was tested again prior to the game and was positive for the virus.

"Tell me why they pull me from warming up so I can go get tested... my shit come back positive... I tested positive for Covid WTF," he tweeted

Bryant was clearly not happy about the situation, later tweeting: "Yea I’m going to go ahead and call it a quit for the rest of the season... I can’t deal with this." He later backtracked on those comments and appeared to be in better spirits (literally), enjoying a glass of wine.

Despite the positive test for Bryant, the game was played as scheduled and the Ravens improved to 7-5 while Dallas dropped to 3-9.

READ MORE: Ravens 34, Dallas Cowboys 17: 10 'Whitty' Observations

And now? Dez, while he waits to get cleared, can cope with another glass of wine.

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Todd Karpovich
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