COSTA MESA (CNS) - A Los Angeles Chargers starting offensive lineman has tested positive for COVID-19 and begun quarantining, the team announced today.
Ryan Groy, 30, was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday afternoon.
“The player is doing fine the last time I talked with him,'' coach Anthony Lynn told reporters in a virtual media availability conducted early this afternoon before Groy's name was announced as the player who tested positive.
According to the team, news of the positive test was received late Wednesday night and the player was immediately notified and “the contact tracing process was initiated.''
“As of right now, we feel like we have it contained,'' said Lynn, who disclosed this summer that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and recovered.
The team tonight will receive results of coronavirus tests conducted this morning, Lynn said.
Lynn held a virtual meeting with players and said he decided to cancel practice and send the players who were at the team's Costa Mesa training facility, the Hoag Performance Center, home “to protect the team.''
“I don't want to take any chances,'' he said. “I don't want anyone else getting infected potentially.''
Lynn said he also wanted to give players “some peace of mind.''
Lynn said there have been no discussions that he knows of about rescheduling Sunday's game at Denver.
Broncos offensive line coach Mike Munchak is in the NFL's COVID-19 protocol system and missed Wednesday's practice, coach Vic Fangio confirmed.
The 6-foot, 5-inch, 320-pound Groy has been the Chargers' starting right guard the past three games, replacing Trai Turner, who has been sidelined by a groin injury.
Groy was among 26 players released Sept. 5 as the Chargers reduced their roster to the 53-player regular-season limit by the day's 1 p.m. deadline and signed to the practice squad the following day.
Groy was added to the team's active roster for the Sept. 13 season opener but did not play in the 16-13 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Groy moved back to the practice squad, but re-signed to the active roster Sept. 26, making his 2020 debut the following day as a reserve in the 21-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers. He became a starter the next game.
Groy is in his seventh season in the NFL. He began his career in 2014 by playing four games with the Chicago Bears, starting three. He played with the Buffalo Bills from 2015-18, playing 51 games, starting 14.
Groy signed with the Chargers Oct. 9, 2019, playing nine games as a reserve in 2019.
The announcement of the positive test was the third among players on Los Angeles professional teams in three days.
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was removed from Game 6 of the World Series Tuesday following a positive coronavirus test.
The Los Angeles Football Club of Major League Soccer announced Wednesday that one of its players, whose name was not released, had tested positive, forcing him to miss that night's 2-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo.
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