Getty Kris Durham catches a pass in 2013.
Once upon a time, Kris Durham caught passes as a receiver from his friend Matthew Stafford with the Detroit Lions. Now, Durham is in a very different place halfway across the world, yet dealing with the same fears many Americans are experiencing.
In Italy, Durham is currently under quarantine as part of a country wide lockdown due to the coronavirus. A video that was taken by Durham shows an eerie scene from an apartment. Nobody on a street, yet crews walking while guarded heavily by masks and suits. The video was shared from Pat McAfee on Twitter.
5 year NFL Vet @KrisDurham16 is currently quarantined in an apartment in Parma, Italy for the next 30 days because of the #coronavirus
He shot this video today. This is Italy right now.
This. Is. Wild.
ESPN’s Michael Rothstein quickly caught up with Durham and got more information. The former wideout is apparently safe, not feeling any effects of the coronavirus but locked down in Italy at the moment. Durham also had positive things to share about the Italian healthcare system.
Just spoke with former Lions WR @KrisDurham16. He tells me he’s safe in Italy but under quarantine. He has not shown any symptoms of coronavirus. Also praised the Italian healthcare professionals and how they’ve worked around the clock.
Additionally, Durham clarified the video which circulated online. As he said, it was originally private and not intended to be shared, and also not exactly in Parma as presented.
He didn’t want to discuss the video @PatMcAfeeShow posted. It was sent to friends in a group chat not intended for public use. Said video isn’t from Parma but a village north of there.
Important thing here, though, is he’s feeling OK and doesn’t have symptoms of coronavirus.
It’s good to hear Durham is doing well even under quarantine.
Kris Durham Career Stats
Durham joined the Lions in 2012 and played his college football in Georgia. He signed as a free agent and he was friends with Stafford during college. As a member of the Bulldogs, Durham caught 4 career touchdowns and went for 1,109 yards in college. After getting to the NFL, Durham only made a slightly bigger impact, catching 3 touchdowns and going for 699 receiving yards. Stafford often turned to him in key situations as a trusted target.
Durham played briefly for Seattle in 2011, then joined Detroit where he would stay until 2013. Following that, he made a brief stop in Tennessee. He played for the Parma Panthers in Italy in 2017 and 2018.
Lions Early Coronavirus Plans For League Meetings
Coming up later this month, the NFL will hold their annual league meetings in Florida, a state that’s been afflicted with plenty of cases of the virus. The league hasn’t revealed changes to the schedule as a result, and right now, the Detroit Lions apparently don’t plan to shift their plans to send their group down south, including Martha Ford who is 94 years old.
Chris Burke of The Athletic revealed that thus far, the team’s thinking hasn’t changed as it relates to the gathering, and joining everyone else at the event in a few weeks.
I’m told that, as of now, the Lions plan to send their usual contingent — including 94-year-old owner Martha Ford — to the league meetings in Florida later this month.
The NFL has not announced any coronavirus-related changes to its upcoming calendar.
The coronavirus outbreak has touched multiple states, and while there have not been any confirmed cases revealed in Michigan as of yet, there is still concern globally over the rapid spread of the disease. Social distancing has become a hot topic in recent weeks, and plenty of conferences and other public events have been cancelled.
Whether the league decides to act themselves before the March 29-April 1 event occurs is anyone’s guess at this point, and will likely depend on what happens with the virus in the coming weeks and how deeply it spreads. As of now, cases continue to grow across America.
It might not mean folks will stop business as usual yet, and that includes the Lions and their brass.
Durham’s story shows just how dire things are overseas, and offers a cautionary tale to America.
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Former Lions Receiver Shares Italian Coronavirus Quarantine Experience