Chiefs Fan Tests Positive For Coronavirus, NFL Moving Forward With Crowds At Games

Every player in the NFL’s Kickoff Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans has tested negative for the coronavirus, but that isn’t the case for everyone in the stands.

The Kansas City Health Department reported that a fan who attended Thursday night's Week 1 matchup at Arrowhead Stadium tested positive for the coronavirus. The game had an attendance of 15,895.

Ten fans have been told to quarantine after possibly being exposed to the coronavirus at the game.

The Chiefs used parking and ticket scanning data, as well as video record review to identify any fans or service staff who might come in contact with the COVID-positive fan. Safety protocols call for “pods” of fans who know each other to sit together and remain socially distanced from other groups of guests.

“Within hours of being notified, the Chiefs were able to pinpoint the names of the other members of the party as well as detailed information about the path and location of entry, and this information was provided to the Health Department,” the Chiefs said in a statement. “The tracing capabilities at the stadium allow the extension of communication to learn more about the guest's activity the days leading up to and after the game Thursday night.”

The NFL mandates that fans must wear masks at stadiums when they aren’t eating or drinking. The Chiefs said the fan who tested positive for the coronavirus had been wearing a mask.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were the only other team to host fans in Week 1. Roughly 14,100 fans attended Jacksonville’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Cleveland Browns plan to host 6,000 fans on Thursday night in their home matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Zip ties have been used to separate seats and ensure that only groups of friends and family are together during the game.

The Colts, Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys are all expected to host fans Sunday with limited-capacity seating. AT&T Stadium is expected to be at 25% capacity — roughly 20,000 fans — for the Cowboys’ home opener.