Packers' AJ Dillon Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 List Ahead of 49ers Game

The Green Bay Packers placed running back AJ Dillon on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, a move that is made when a player has either tested positive for COVID-19 or has been in close contact with an infected person.

Per NFL policy, the team is unable to provide further information on the situation.

The Packers announced in a statement that a player tested positive for COVID-19, adding that meetings Monday would be held virtually:

According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "This would be the Packers' first positive since practice began in training camp and means there will be some contact tracing going on to see if anyone needs to be quarantined. Players wear trackers at work so they'll know if there was extended exposure to the positive player."

A potential outbreak could be complicated for Green Bay and the NFL. For one, the Packers have a short turnaround this week with a game against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football (though that could give the league the leeway to push the game back to Sunday or Monday night). But the team also already had its bye week, which could make it difficult to reschedule the game.

To this point, the Packers had only placed one player on the reserve/COVID-19 list. 

The Minnesota Vikings will also enter the NFL's intensive COVID-19 protocol after playing the Packers on Sunday. Ditto for the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steeler after Ravens defensive back Marlon Humphrey announced Monday he had tested positive for the coronavirus:

The concern for the league heading into the winter months is that the general surge of coronavirus cases around the United States could impact its players and coaches—or its ability to host fans, even in limited numbers—causing more complications as the NFL attempts to finish a full 16-game season.