Titans Practice After Staffer Tests Positive for COVID-19 Ahead of Bills Game

The Tennessee Titans practiced Sunday despite a staff member's positive test for COVID-19 that had previously shut down the team facility.

Tennessee confirmed the practice on Sunday, via Jim Wyatt of the team's official website:  

The Titans have had the NFL's most pronounced COVID-19 outbreak of the season, with more than 20 players and staff testing positive. They were already forced to push back their Week 4 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and their Week 5 clash against the Buffalo Bills was moved to Tuesday.

The team had just returned to its facilities Saturday after consecutive days of negative testing. Tennessee had not been allowed at team facilities since Sept. 29.

The Titans have received widespread criticism for hosting unsanctioned player workouts last week when they were not supposed to have contact. It's expected the NFL will come down with harsh punishment for violating the league's COVID protocols.

Titans players and staff have largely defended their actions.

Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill told reporters Saturday: "It's a snap-to-judgment society that we live in today. People feel empowered to have strong opinions and go to extremes without knowing the details of how things went down. I'm of the opinion that you should speak for yourself and find out details before you jump down someone's throat."

Should the NFL be forced to postpone Tuesday's game, it will throw the 2020 schedule into a further state of uncertainty. The Titans have already used their bye week, and the league did not bake any extra weeks into the regular season. While the NFL could theoretically push the start of the playoffs back a week and create a Week 18 for make-up games, that may result in several teams having the competitive advantage of a week off.

The odds are a Bills-Titans matchup will have some type of playoff implications. Both teams are undefeated heading into Week 5 and look like solid bets for the postseason.