AP photo New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, left, talks with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes after Monday night's game in Kansas City.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots canceled practices for Wednesday and Thursday after cornerback Stephon Gilmore became the third player on the team in five days to test positive for the coronavirus.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Gilmore acknowledged his positive test for the virus, but said he remains asymptomatic and “will take this as it comes.”

The Patriots put Gilmore on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday.

“I don’t know what to expect, but my spirt is high because of God,” Gilmore wrote. “I’ve followed every protocol, yet it happened to me. Please take this seriously. The ‘Gilly Lock’ is going to sit down until the medical professionals let me know it’s best to continue normal activity. Your well wishes and prayers mean the world to me and my family.”

For now the Patriots are still scheduled to host the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Patriots players had the day off Tuesday, meaning that Friday could be their only practice this week if the game proceeds as planned. Players and coaches will conduct meetings remotely Thursday. Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s scheduled session Wednesday with reporters was also pushed back until Thursday.

Starting quarterback Cam Newton missed New England’s loss at Kansas City on Monday night after a positive COVID-19 test and was added to the reserve list Saturday. Practice squad player Bill Murray joined him on the list Tuesday.

Newton’s positive test prompted the NFL to postpone New England’s game with the Chiefs by a day.

Newton tweeted a picture of himself Wednesday morning wearing a mask, along with the caption: “WEAR YOUR MASK. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.”

Whether Newton or Gilmore could be available on Sunday depends on whether they were showing symptoms at the time of their positive tests.

According to the NFL’s updated COVID testing protocols, players showing symptoms can’t return until at least 10 days have passed since symptoms were first reported and at least 24 hours have passed since their last fever. All other symptoms, such as cough and shortness of breath, also must have improved.

If a player tests positive but is asymptomatic, he must either wait 10 days from the initial positive test, or can return after having two consecutive negative tests 24 hours apart.

Gilmore played every defensive snap for New England in the 26-10 defeat at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday.

Pictures and video of him and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes briefly exchanging a hug and talking face-to-face after Kansas City’s win went across social media Wednesday following the initial reports of Gilmore’s positive test.

Mahomes called his decision to congratulate Gilmore a “mental lapse” and “just sportsmanship.”

“I think you just have to trust in the process and protocols that are set in place,” Mahomes said. “Obviously knowing that I went up to him after the game and gave him a high-five, like I have all my career and not thinking about it — it was a mental lapse, just sportsmanship. But I think the protocols are good, wearing my mask and staying safe.”

Broncos coach Vic Fangio said Wednesday that he doesn’t have any concerns about playing in New England on Sunday.

“I feel fine. You know, I go to the grocery store, too. I just have a lot of confidence in the NFL, the players’ union,” he said. “They’re doing a good job working together on all these issues and I’m sure everything will be safe for all involved and I’m totally confident in it.”

XXXXXX

New England obviously isn’t the only team in the NFL with a problem, as things continue in Tennessee. The NFL’s investigation into how Tennessee turned into the league’s first COVID-19 outbreak found “several specific incidents” of the Titans possibly breaking protocols dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, according to a person with knowledge of the probe.

Also, the headmaster of a private school in Nashville confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday that several Titans, including quarterback Ryan Tannehill, practiced on its field Sept. 30. That was a day before the NFL first postponed Tennessee’s game with Pittsburgh before rescheduling to Oct. 25.

Tennessee had two more players test positive Wednesday, a person familiar with the the situation said. The Titans placed starting wide receiver Corey Davis on the reserve/COVID-19 list hours later, bringing their total to 22 cases with 20 returned since Sept. 29.

The Titans cannot return to their facility before Saturday at the earliest, needing back-to-back days without a positive test result. They haven’t been on a field since beating the Vikings 31-30 on Sept. 27. The NFL has to decide if they play Buffalo (4-0) as scheduled Sunday, postpone and reschedule or forfeit.

Buffalo coach Sean McDermott is busy preparing his Bills until told differently. He said no one’s perfect and they’re all fighting an uphill battle with how easily COVID-19 spreads. His Bills have had no positives after beating the Raiders 30-23 in Las Vegas last week.

“We have a lot of trust and faith in the league,” McDermott said of playing a game in Tennessee.

Pushing Bills-Titans to Monday night is challenging because Buffalo is scheduled to host Kansas City on Thursday, Oct. 15. That would force the NFL into further rearranging of the schedule.

Newsletter