Matthew Stafford activated from COVID-19 list after false-positive test

The Detroit Lions announced on Tuesday that quarterback Matthew Stafford has been activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. According to the team, the positive test he received late last week was a false-positive. He subsequently took three more test, and they all came up negative.

Here’s the full statement from the team:

Today we removed Matthew Stafford from the COVID-IR list and onto the Active Roster. As a result of a False-Positive test result, he was forced due to NFL/NFLPA protocols to sit out until he received two negative tests. His testing sequence for the Pre-Entry period was: negative, negative, False-Positive. The next three tests were all negative. To be clear, Matthew does NOT have COVID-19 and never has had COVID-19 and the test in question was a False-Positive. Also, all of Matthew’s family have been tested and everyone is negative.

It’s obviously great news that Stafford does not have the virus, and it’s even better news that his family has all tested negative.

However, this ordeal does raise the question about how consistent testing is for this virus and how it may impact the 2020 regular season.

These Lions players still remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list as of Tuesday afternoon:

• Kenny Golladay
• T.J. Hockenson
• Justin Coleman
• Amani Oruwariye
• Arryn Siposs
• Jalen Elliott

UPDATE: The Lions announced Justin Coleman has been activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list as well.