PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Steelers close end Vance McDonald became the first member of the team to be put on the Reserve / COVID-19 list during the regular season.
Around 1 a.m. after the Steelers’ Week 9 game with the Dallas Cowboys, McDonald received a call from the team’s head training telling him that he tested positive for COVID-19.
McDonald, who lives on a farm with his family, decided that his best option would be to quarantine himself in an “outbuilding” on his property. For 14 days, McDonald met his wife as needed to get supplies for the quarantine.
“We did this little checkpoint where your food, underwear and everything I need ran out,” said McDonald.
He wasn’t alone, however. Before McDonald found his test positive, he adopted one of the German Shepard puppies from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. And in critical times, the two got closer than McDonald had thought.
“I love Will Smith, so in this movie, I Am Legend, it was just me and my German Shepherd walking around the farm alone,” laughed McDonald. “I started talking to him like he was like my friend.
McDonald eventually tested negative for COVID-19 and returned to his family and the Steelers facility. And although he says he can joke about it now, “It was miserable at the time because I couldn’t see my family for 16 days. I couldn’t come here for 16 days, but I did it and I’m one Survivor, “said the narrow end of the Steelers with a smile.
See McDonald recreate his entire quarantine experience in the video above.
Noah Strackbein is a publisher at AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
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