The Washington Football Team won’t have fans for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals at its FedEx Field due to the uptick in coronavirus cases — joining a host of other teams to ban fans after temporarily allowing them back into stadiums in a limited capacity.
Washington had previously allowed 3,000 fans for its Week 9 loss to the New York Giants. The game, which was limited mostly to season ticket holders, was the first time Washington had permitted fans this season, doing so after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan eased coronavirus restrictions that allowed people into stadiums, capped at a 10% capacity.
But cases have gone up in recent weeks, causing Washington and a number of other teams to change plans. On Tuesday, the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles announced their upcoming home games would be played without spectators.
The Ravens’ cancellation was particularly noteworthy as Washington and Baltimore play in the same state — with Washington playing in Landover, Maryland, and the Ravens in Baltimore.
“The Washington Football Team has been continuously monitoring the evolving health situation in the DMV region,” the team said in a statement. “After careful consideration and working in close coordination with health officials in Prince George’s County, we have decided that this Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals will be played without fans in attendance.
“We take the responsibility of protecting our staff, players, fans and the community seriously and feel this is the right decision at this time.”
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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