On Wednesday, the 49ers’ facility was shut down for precautionary reasons after wide receiver Kendrick Bourne tested positive for COVID-19.

That was 24 hours before they were set to host the Packers on Thursday Night Football.

However, today, Bourne was tested again and came back negative, but it looks like he and others are not going to be able to play in this game:

Was this a false positive?

Not necessarily, according to the NFL, who is disputing these reports and saying this (quote via Pro Football Talk) –

“There have been 104 instances thus far of a positive test followed by a negative test the next day,” a league spokesman said in a statement. “101 times it was proven that the individual was positive with subsequent tests.”

So.. it was a false negative? Talk about funky. This kind of reminds me of that famous quote about the Sex Panther perfume in Anchor Man. “60 percent of the time, it works every time.”

So if we’re following the story as its currently being reported:

  1. Bourne tested positive
  2. Bourne then tested negative on Thursday
  3. the NFL is suggesting that Thursday’s test was incorrect
  4. regardless, he can’t play in this game, nor can Aiyuk, Williams, or Samuel (who was already out with a hamstring injury)

 

In addition, Bourne is being investigated for possible mask wearing violations, according to a number of San Fran-based outlets. Whatever happens, it would appear as though the Niners are gonna be without a large number of guys both due to injury and the COVID situation. They were already missing Jimmy G, George Kittle, and Tevin Coleman going into tonight’s game.