First Two People in the NFL To Test Positive For COVID-19 Are From the Western Suburbs

Hinsdale native and LA Rams offensive lineman Brian Allen has been the first NFL player to be confirmed to have COVID-19.

Allen played his high school ball at Hinsdale Central before joining the Spartans of Michigan State.

“I couldn’t smell anything,'” Allen told Glazer Wednesday morning. “‘I lost all sense of smell to the point where I had smelling salts here, I cracked them open, put them to my nose and nothing happened. All I could feel was texture in my mouth – literally, it was the only sense I had. Then I got periodic sore throats. I got really fatigued, my throat would start burning, everything felt different than every other flu I’ve had.”

The good news is that he’s feeling better, according to the team.

Allen is the first PLAYER to test positive for COVID-19, but not the first person in the league. That dubious honor goes to Sean Payton, head coach of the New Orleans Saints…who is a Naperville native. Payton was the first person connected to the NFL to test positive.