New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton tested positive for coronavirus, ESPN first reported Thursday.
Payton said he decided to share the diagnosis with ESPN because he wants people to follow official advice about social distancing. "This is not just about social distancing," he told ESPN.
"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."
Payton is the first person connected to the NFL to test positive for COVID-19.