Atlanta Falcons rookie defensive lineman Marlon Davidson has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a league source, leading to him being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Davidson, a second-round draft pick out of Auburn, played 12 defensive snaps and five snaps on special teams in his team's 23-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
The Falcons announced Davidson's addition to the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday afternoon, but are not allowed to comment on his health status or reveal how long he might be quarantined. Contact tracing factors into the situation, but there has been no indication of any other team members in close contact with Davidson testing positive.
The Falcons are scheduled to return to practice Wednesday afternoon.
Davidson becomes the second Falcons player to test positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the regular season. First-round draft pick A.J. Terrell, a cornerback out of Clemson, tested positive the Saturday before the Falcons' Sept. 27 home game against the Chicago Bears. Terrell missed two games before being activated Oct. 8. He was the first NFL player to miss a game because of COVID-19.
Although there was concern that Terrell's positive test could lead to an outbreak within the team and a possible postponement of the Bears-Falcons game, no other positive tests arose, and the game went on as scheduled.
Full details of Davidson's positive test are unknown. The Falcons had one false positive in the preseason with defensive tackle Tyeler Davison. Fullback Keith Smith and safety Jamal Carter missed extensive preseason time following positive tests. Enhanced testing procedures in place since the preseason appear to have negated the chances of false positives.
Davidson missed the first two games of the season while recovering from a deep bone bruise in his knee.
The 0-5 Falcons and interim head coach Raheem Morris are scheduled to take on the 1-4 Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis on Sunday. Morris took over after the Falcons fired Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff following the loss to the Panthers.