Bengals team chaplain recovering after testing positive for coronavirus

LaMorris Crawford is with the Bengals every week during the season. As the team’s chaplain, he doesn’t put his health on the line; he just helps the players that do.

Just two weeks ago, Crawford’s health was on the line, so much that he felt close to death.

Crawford told The Cincinnati Enquirer that he was tested for the novel coronavirus hours after lone was nearly one of the 167 confirmed Ohio fatalities due to COVID-19 virus pandemic. In the early hours of March 20th, Crawford was rendered motionless and experienced loss sense.

“I literally thought I was going to die. I couldn’t move,” Crawford said. “I had a loss of smell, high fever, chills, loss of taste and fatigue.”

Crawford’s wife, Megan, found him on the floor and rushed him to the hospital. While there, he was tested for his symptoms like any other potential COVID-19 patient. He was found negative for the flu and strep throat, but later learned he tested positive for the coronavirus.

Crawford, a man who lives a healthy lifestyle, is recovering from the virus, but understands the severity and totality it has on all people, not just the ones it has killed the most. It’s why even as a man of the church, he understands that public mass is not wise at the moment.

“It’s not about you, it’s about us…We are also taught in the Bible to submit and honoring government authority,” Crawford said. “With social media and social conferencing, it would be the wise thing to still teach and preach the message, but let’s do it in a wise way to where we think about others. This virus is so sneaky that there’s no point in taking a chance of passing it, especially in a church setting.”

This virus will impact many more in the Cincinnati community. With luck, hopefully this is the one time it affects the Bengals.