Falcons close facility after player tests positive for COVID-19; Week 17 vs. Buccaneers still on schedule

Atlanta has shifted to remote work ahead of Sunday's game

The Cleveland Browns aren't the only team battling COVID-19 concerns ahead of their season finale. Three days before their scheduled Week 17 rematch with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Atlanta Falcons announced Thursday they have closed their facility due to a player testing positive for the virus. Contact tracing has begun, and the team has shifted to all-virtual work in advance of Sunday's game, though the actual matchup is not currently in jeopardy.

This isn't the first time the Falcons have shuttered their facility in 2020 due to COVID cases within the organization. In fact, it's become rare, at this point, if a team hasn't temporarily shifted to remote preparations amid the pandemic. Barring an extensive outbreak from the single positive case, however, all indications are that the Falcons will still travel to Tampa to play the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Atlanta, which just played the Bucs on Dec. 20, is looking to snap a four-game losing streak to close the year. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, is looking to capture a fourth straight win as it enters the playoffs.