Sports chatter: Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliot among players who tested positive for COVID-19

NFL Insider Ian Rapoport and reporter Tom Pelissero reported that multiple Cowboys and Texans have tested positive for COVID-19. Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot is among the list of players.

Rapoport said that none of the players were believed to be in their team facilities.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott made news at the beginning of June by passing an order that will allow Texas professional and collegiate teams to play at 50% capacity. No other state has reached that number.

Elliot and the Texans players are reportedly feeling good.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was seen working out with Elliot in May, but he is feeling well, according to Rapoport. Federal and local privacy laws make the two teams unable to provide personal information on the health of the players.

Elliot took to Twitter and called out reporters for releasing his personal info. Elliot seemed to be confused on how the information got out and said his agent only confirmed his coronavirus case to reporters. The HIPAA rule protects the privacy of individuals’ medical records.

Something just doesn’t feel right about the term “voluntary workout" in college football. Technically, college football players have the option to participate or not, but not too many players want to be the one guy that says, “I’ll pass.”

Ohio State’s latest decision to make players sign a waiver added more pressure. According to Joey Kauffman, Buckeyes players had to sign an acknowledgement of risk waiver before returning.

Kaufman wrote that the waiver asks the player to “pledge to take responsibility for my own health and help stop the spread of the COVID-19.” If a player refuses to sign the waiver, he wouldn’t be allowed to practice.

Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith said in an interview with ESPN that the waiver is more about an educational opportunity than a liability.

“We don’t look at that as a legal document,” Smith said to ESPN. “It’s a Buckeye pledge. Allow us to help you so that if we face a situation, our trainers, our strength coaches, our coaches or any athletic administrator sees a student-athlete not wearing a mask or not social distancing, we can say, ‘Hey, you made a commitment. You signed a pledge. Your parents signed a pledge. Your parents are a part of this.’”

That may very well be his intention, but it’s hard to say this pledge sends the right message in protecting student-athletes.

Since NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace stood up for social inequality and systemic racism, he gained a fan in Alvin Kamara. The Saints running back is new to the sport, but he seems to be enjoying it so far.

Kamara is used to being one of the fastest guys on a field, but the race track is a different kind of speed, one that he got to experience in person for the first time on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Kamara live-tweeted from his account with updates on the experience. Denny Hamlin won the race, and Wallace finished 13th.

Kamara congratulated Hamlin and Wallace after the race and said this won’t be his last time attending a NASCAR event. Looks like the sport has gained a new fan.

Hey, well they do call the man King James.

Multiple people have come out and said that if LeBron James pushes hard enough, the NBA season will return.

“If @KingJames said he hooping. We all hooping. Not Personal only BUSINESS,” Clippers guard Patrick Beverley said on Twitter.

According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, and Eastern Conference executive said, “LeBron is going to make sure those games [in Orlando] are played, because he knows they could have a huge impact on his legacy."

It’s clear that James has one of the biggest voices in the NBA. He has the most Instagram and Twitter followers of any player in NBA history.

When James talks, people listen more times than not, so whenever he takes a public stance on the decision to continue play in Orlando, it will play a large role in what happens next.