Saints Coach Sean Payton Is First NFL Figure With Coronavirus

Saints Coach Sean Payton Is First NFL Figure With Coronavirus

FRISCO - Sean Payton, a hero in New Orleans and a highly-regarded figure among Dallas Cowboys followers and around the NFL, is the first known person in the league to have tested positive for COVID-19.

Payton, the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl-winning head coach, came forward with his coronavirus diagnosis because he wants all people to heed the warnings of government officials, stay inside, and behave responsibly, according to ESPN.

"This is not just about social distancing," Payton said. "It's shutting down here for a week to two weeks. If people understand the curve, and understand the bump, we can easily work together as a country to reduce it. Take a minute to understand what the experts are saying. It's not complicated to do what they're asking of us. Just that type of small investment by every one of us will have a dramatic impact.''

COVID-19 struck the sports world in a most dramatic way a week ago when a diagnosis of Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert tested positive, causing an NBA shutdown. Other leagues have since followed suit, and high-profile cases like actor Tom Hanks have raised public awareness as to the seriousness of this, as Payton's illness will surely do.

Payton said he didn’t feel well on Sunday, took the test on Monday, and received the results Thursday afternoon. He will be quarantined in his home through the weekend, and sounds optimistic about a full recovery.

“I was fortunate to be in the minority, without the serious side effects that some have,'' said Payton, a former Cowboys assistant coach who maintains a close tie with DFW. "I’m lucky. Younger people feel like they can handle this, but they can be a carrier to someone who can’t handle it. So we all need to do our part. It’s important for every one of us to do our part.”