Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the NFL's reigning top defender, tests positive for coronavirus

New England Patriots star cornerback Stephon Gilmore tested positive for coronavirus, the latest setback for that team and the NFL during the pandemic.

The NFL Network on Wednesday was the first to report the positive test for Gilmore and the league's reigning defensive player of the year said he was not experiencing any symptoms.

"I don't know what to expect but my spirit is high because of God," Gilmore said in a statement posted on Twitter. "I've followed every protocol, yet it happened to me please make sure to take this seriously."

The positive testcomes days after Gilmore's teammate, quarterback Cam Newton, also tested positive and was forced to the sidelines.

The Patriots canceled practice Wednesday and moved New England Coach Bill Belichick's meeting with reporters to Thursday. New England is set, for now, to play host to the Denver Broncos on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.

Gilmore thanked fans for their support: "Your well wishes and prayers mean the world to me and my family."

The NFL on Tuesday issued new coronavirus safety protocols in what it called "our ongoing effort with the union to safely play football for the entire season."

Under these enhanced guidelines, teams must maintain surveillance-camera tapes of their training facilities for at least 30 days so NFL officials can review "footage to ensure compliance with" protocols.

Clubs were also told to stagger schedules for players to be in their locker rooms "to further allow for physical distancing."

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"Please be reminded that all players and staff must wear masks at all times while in the club facility and on the practice field, unless a mask cannot be worn by players due to interference with athletic activity," according to the memo.

The league was rocked this past weekend by the postponement of two games in Week 4 of this young 2020 season.

After news on Saturday that Newton and backup Chiefs quarterback Jordan Ta’amu both tested positive, the Patriots game against the Kansas City Chiefs was moved from Sunday afternoon to Monday night.

The Pittsburgh Steelers had been set to play the Tennessee Titans in a battle of undefeated teams on Sunday but that game was taken off the Week 4 calendar all together following a host of positive tests on the Titans.

That Steelers-Titans game was moved to Oct. 25, thanks to a fortunate quirk in the schedule. The Titans had been set to be off on Oct. 25, while the Steelers and their original Week 7 opponent, the Baltimore Ravens, both had Week 8 as their bye.

So that allowed the Pittsburgh-Baltimore game to be moved back by one week, opening Oct. 25 for the Steelers and Titans to play.