NFC West news: Rams center Brian Allen becomes first NFL player to test positive for coronavirus

The NFL has its first player to test positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus) and he players for a team in the San Francisco 49ers' division — the NFC West. Brian Allen, the center for the Los Angeles Rams, contracted the disease about three weeks ago, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports.

"Now, I talked to Brian this morning," said Glazer, "and he said he got it, actually, about three weeks ago. And the first thing he said was, quote, 'I woke up three weeks ago, I couldn't smell anything. I lost all sense of smell to the point, I had smelling salts here, I cracked them open, put them to my nose, and nothing happened.'

"Then he lost his sense of taste. He said, 'All I could feel was texture in my mouth.'"

Allen, 24, also suffered some of the more common COVID-19 symptoms, including a sore throat and fatigue, per Glazer. The center said that while the initial symptoms lasted about three or four days, he was tested again last week. Those results also came back positive. Although, Allen expects to be medically cleared later this week.

The Rams made Allen a fourth-round pick out of Michigan State in 2018. He started nine games last season before landing on injured reserve on November 12, 2019, due to an MCL injury.

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton became the first known person in the NFL to test positive for COVID-19 but has been medically cleared. It was also reported that a member of the Los Angeles Chargers organization contracted the disease while two more have exhibited symptoms.

H/t to Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area for the find.