Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list, the NFL team announced on Tuesday.

The Lions said Stafford returned a false-positive test following two negative coronavirus tests last week, while insisting the 2014 Pro Bowler never contracted COVID-19.

Stafford was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday.

"Today we removed Matthew Stafford from the COVID-IR list and onto the Active Roster," the Lions said in a statement.

"As a result of a False-Positive test result, he was forced due to NFL/NFLPA protocols to sit out until he received two negative tests. His testing sequence for the Pre-Entry period was: negative, negative, False-Positive. The next three tests were all negative. 

"To be clear, Matthew does NOT have COVID-19 and never has had COVID-19 and the test in question was a False-Positive. Also, all of Matthew's family have been tested and everyone is negative."

The Lions are scheduled to open their 2020 season against the Chicago Bears on September 13.