Axios

The New Orleans Saints' head coach Sean Payton announced on Thursday that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus, ESPN reports.

Why it matters: Payton is the first known figure in the National Football League (NFL) to test positive for COVID-19. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has been hit by the virus, with multiple players testing positive.

In the Era of No Sports, media publications, TV networks and leagues are scrambling to find alternatives to fill the void — and in some cases, redeploying staff to work on non-sports coverage.

Driving the news: The Washington Post has redirected some of its sports staff to help with non-sports coverage and, starting this Saturday, the newspaper's daily Sports section will move inside the Style section, per an internal memo (Sunday Sports will continue to stand on its own).

Tom Brady will likely sign Wednesday with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — one day after he announced his departure from the New England Patriots.

The state of play: From Brady's perspective, the Bucs have a lot to offer.

Taro Aso, Japan's deputy prime minister, said Wednesday that holding the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo "would not make sense" if other countries cannot send their athletes, while the government's top spokesperson insisted the Games were still on, per Reuters.

Why it matters: Though numerous sports leagues around the world have suspended their seasons in response to the pandemic, Japan, which has only 882 confirmed coronavirus cases, remains on track to host the games as scheduled in July even as the pandemic expands across the world.

Go deeper: Kevin Durant among 4 Brooklyn Nets to test positive for coronavirus