Ravens Reportedly Voted Not to Play vs. Steelers Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

Players on the Baltimore Ravens reportedly voted not to play their Week 12 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to health concerns but the NFL Players Association convinced them to go through with the game, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

Baltimore placed 22 players on the reserve/COVID list due to an outbreak of the coronavirus, causing the game against the division rival to be moved from Thursday to Sunday to Tuesday to Wednesday.

Players were reportedly uncomfortable playing the game after so many postponements, but La Canfora reported that NFLPA leadership told them "withholding their services would result in forfeiting on their contract and would directly violate their collective bargaining agreement and could result in them forfeiting future games as well."

The Steelers eventually earned a 19-14 win over the shorthanded Ravens.

Several starters and key players were unavailable for Baltimore, including reigning MVP Lamar Jackson. 

The team's concerns reportedly grew when they were informed practice squad safety Geno Stone tested positive after participating in walkthroughs Monday and Tuesday. The remaining players were told that the more stringent protocols—including wearing masks during practices—would prevent any further spread.

No player has tested positive since Tuesday.

Though there were questions about the competitiveness of the game being played, player health remains an important factor.

Ravens president Dick Cass said there were four unique strains of COVID-19 within the organization and it affected players, staff members and families:

"It doesn't just affect the guys; it affects the families of the guys," head coach John Harbaugh said Friday. "That's the thing that really is hard. We just want everybody to get healthy. We want them to take care of themselves."

The Ravens are currently scheduled to play their next game on Tuesday against the Dallas Cowboys.