Rams shut down complex after Allen’s positive COVID-19 test

LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 16: Austin Blythe #66, John Sullivan #65 and Brian Allen #55 of the Los Angeles Rams head to the field before the game against the Arizona Cardinalsat Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 16, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Harry How/Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Rams shut down their training complex for roughly two weeks and several people went into quarantine after center Brian Allen tested positive for COVID-19 last month.

Reggie Scott, the Rams’ senior director of sports medicine and performance, said Thursday that nobody else in the Rams’ organization has fallen ill during the coronavirus pandemic. Allen also is feeling much better after battling the viral illness.

“As of today, we have no other positive tests, which is amazing,” Scott said. “The good thing is I have not gotten any other phone calls or anything about anybody getting sick or feeling symptoms, which is great. Everybody is doing their job and doing their due diligence and social distancing.”

The Rams’ training complex re-opened this week for certain players and personnel following appropriate safety guidelines. Allen had been using the Rams’ complex last month for his rehabilitation on his surgically repaired left knee, which kept the starting center sidelined for the final seven games of last season.

Allen was the only Rams player who has been tested for the virus, according to Scott, who said the Rams are only testing employees who show symptoms. Allen told Fox Sports that his sense of smell and taste were affected, but he was not hospitalized.

“His symptoms were not heavy at all,” Scott said. “He’s doing great, which is great news to hear, because you hear so many different things with this.”

Allen is a fourth-round pick out of Michigan State who became the Rams’ starting center last season. He is expected to resume the role this season after recovering from his knee injury.

Allen is the first NFL player to acknowledge testing positive for COVID-19. New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton also said he recovered from the illness, and the Los Angeles Chargers said an unnamed member of their organization had tested positive.

The Rams didn’t reveal the positive test until Allen spoke to Fox Sports about his illness.