New York Jets players Frank Gore and Pierre Desire joined the calls from NFL players to attempt to ensure safety is a top priority.
As the NFL moves towards holding training camp in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still many unanswered questions. While some have to do with whether fans will be allowed to attend games, the more pressing questions are how to keep training camps safe.
Football, obviously, is not as conducive to social distancing as baseball is, with players tackling and blocking each other for three hours every Sunday. Thus, it is incredibly important for the NFL to take steps to ensure player safety from the virus.
A large group of NFL players have taken to Twitter to urge the NFL to get their safety protocols in place before opening training camps. Two New York Jets players have joined those calls, as running back Frank Gore and cornerback Pierre Desir tweeted to the NFL, ending their tweets with the hashtage #WeWantToPlay.
The NFL and NFLPA are currently negotiating the safety guidelines that will be laid out. The league has already cancelled two of the four preseason games that occur, while the NFLPA is pushing for the league to cancel all preseason games.
The league must also work out how to effectively socially distance workouts, as limits on the number of players allowed at each session will likely be needed to ensure that the risk of exposure to the virus remains low.
The league was able to do the offseason programs virtually, but training camp is going to be another animal all together. The players have made it clear that they feel strongly that if the NFL doesn’t establish safety protocols and stick to them strictly, there won’t be a season to play.