Several big names associated with the National Football League took to the microblogging site Twitter on Sunday to express their grievances and ire over the deficient COVID-19 safety protocols in force as teams in the professional league are set to begin training this week.
Drew Brees, the Super Bowl-winning quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, and his Seattle Seahawks counterpart, Russell Wilson, were among the players who conveyed their annoyance about the NFL disregarding advice from its own medical professionals. Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt also expressed his concerns.
NFL's Ignorance of Medical Advice
Brees wrote on Twitter: "We need Football! We need sports! We need hope! The NFL's unwillingness to follow the recommendations of their own medical experts will prevent that. If the NFL doesn't do their part to keep players healthy there is no football in 2020. It's that simple. Get it done @NFL."
Wilson's main concern centered around his wife's pregnancy and how the NFL plans to protect family members. "I am concerned. My wife is pregnant. @NFL Training camp is about to start... And there's still No Clear Plan on Player Health & Family Safety. We want to play football but we also want to protect our loved ones," tweeted Wilson.
Risk to Players and Their Family
Watt, a three-time NFL defensive player of the year, also took to Twitter to highlight a list of issues that need to be addressed before camps open on Tuesday. Some of those outstanding issues include information about how often players will be tested and what will happen if someone does test positive for the coronavirus.
He also noted that an opt-out clause "for those at higher risk or those with family members at higher risk" had still not been agreed upon. There is also a debate over the number of pre-season games teams will play, with the league planning for two and the NFL Players Association wanted none.
(With inputs from agencies)
