Pat Ricard, who was a Pro Bowl fullback last season for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, is one of four Ravens diagnosed Friday with COVID-19 on Friday and put on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, according to published reports.
Ricard, a Massachusetts native, was an All-America defensive lineman at the University of Maine.
One of the other four Baltimore players who tested positive for the coronavirus is quarterback and reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson.
Friday’s additions brought the total number of Ravens players diagnosed with the coronavirus this week to 12.
The 6-4 Ravens were scheduled to play the 10-0 Pittsburgh Steelers in an important AFC North Division contest on Thanksgiving night, but the COVID-19 outbreak first pushed it back, first to Sunday afternoon and now to Tuesday night.
The Ravens were supposed to play Dallas on Dec. 3, but that game has been moved to Monday, Dec 7.
Under NFL protocols, players diagnosed with COVID-19 must quarantine for 10 days. They can be reactivated after those 10 days if they test negative.
Ricard, in his fourth season with the Ravens, will miss the Pittsburgh game but could return for the Dallas game pending his test.
Ricard last season was one of the only two-way players in the NFL as he also played on the defensive line. This season, he has been used almost exclusively as a fullback.
The 6-foot-3, 311-pound Ricard is known for his punishing blocks, which have helped the Ravens become the best rushing team in the NFL. Baltimore is averaging 160.5 rushing yards after leading the NFL in all rushing categories last season. The Ravens were No. 1 in total rushing yards [3,296], rushing yards per game [206] and yards per rush [5.5].
This season, Ricard has made five receptions for 24 yards, including a touchdown.
Last season, he caught eight passes for 47 yards and a touchdown a year ago, which was his best season as a pro.
The undrafted free agent was in on nine tackles including a sack as a defensive lineman last season and has one tackle so far this year.