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Saints, Pelicans owner Gayle Benson back at practice after COVID-19 diagnosis

Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans, was back at the Saints facilities on Wednesday following a positive COVID-19 test.

Benson, 73, was at Saints practice and seen speaking with coach Sean Payton, who also tested positive for the virus in mid-March. She was cleared by doctors, per The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan.

Benson tested positive for COVID-19

New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson was back at practice on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, Pool)
New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson was back at practice on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, Pool)

The Saints confirmed on Aug. 28 that Benson had tested positive for COVID-19 within the last few weeks. She was under daily medical care, but not hospitalized, and recovering well, per the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

There was no report on if she suffered any symptoms. Statements by the Saints and Pelicans noted that she “has not missed a day of work calls” and “has participated in daily NBA, and NFL owners calls.”

NFL owners, players who dealt with COVID-19

She was the second NFL owner to test positive for the coronavirus. Michael Bidwill, owner of the Arizona Cardinals, tested positive in July and was hospitalized in Rhode Island.

He discussed it during a TV broadcast of the team’s Red and White practice over the weekend, via azcentral.com.

"I thought I would be part of the 85% of the population that would have no or mild symptoms," he continued. "I wasn’t. I ended up in the hospital in an ICU for five days. It was an awful experience. I never had major problems breathing but I did have severe headaches and a temperature that kept spiking to 103 degrees. It was very scary."

Payton was diagnosed with the coronavirus in mid-March, early on during the pandemic, and had “flu-like” symptoms. He has since made a full recovery.

Tests are administered daily during training camp.

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