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The NFL continues to do their very best to avoid addressing how COVID-19 might affect the season. Minor adjustments to training camp and preseason games have happened, but even today teams are announcing how many fans might be allowed into the stadiums when time comes.
Meanwhile, not every athlete has decided if they want to play this year anyway.
Is the NFL not going to give the players an option to play or not?
— Bruce Irvin (@BIrvin_WVU11) July 8, 2020
Bruce Irvin is not the first, and he absolutely won’t be the last to question the legitimacy of frequent full-contact athletics at the moment. A whole host of NBA players have opted out of the 2020 return, as well as Seattle’s very own King Felix holding out from MLB this year.
This comes after Quandre Diggs expressed displeasure in the idea of a paycut on Tuesday.
Shit nah i want all my chicken! Don’t hold shit of mine! https://t.co/BDCieNSxlO
— Nino (@qdiggs6) July 8, 2020
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (no relation) also voiced concern about returning to the field.
But there’s so many unanswered questions with this upcoming season. I’d be lying if I said I was comfortable starting back up..
— DIGGS (@stefondiggs) July 7, 2020
Retired safety turned analyst Rodney Harrison expressed his own skepticism about whether we’ll see an NFL season.
As the intended September start date approaches, expect the player-by-player opinions to ramp up significantly. As has already been demonstrated there is no guarantee of safety, and Von Miller recently admitted that he still feels the effects of lung damage from his contraction in March.
No official word has come from the league office as to exemptions or anything of that nature, yet.
Bruce Irvin is back with the Seahawks on a one-year deal. If there is no season or some form of arranged opt-out is created, then Seattle will have dropped almost $6 million on a guy who turns 33 halfway through next season.