SEATTLE — Russell Wilson and a host of other Seahawks were among NFL players who took to Twitter on Sunday to voice their concerns over the scheduled start of training camp for the 2020 NFL season.
On Saturday, the NFL sent a memo to teams informing them that training camps will begin as normal July 28. Rookies are set to report a week early Tuesday and quarterbacks and injured players will report Thursday.
However, the memo was met with pushback from many players, who are unconvinced the league has the proper safety measures in place to combat the risks of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Wilson was one of the first players who took to Twitter in an organized fashion:
I am concerned.
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) July 19, 2020
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. #WeWantToPlay
Tyler Lockett, Bruce Irvin, D.K. Metcalf and Duane Brown followed in support:
I want to play. But I also want my health to be valued more than the entertainment I bring through my play for God! #WeWantToPlay
— Tyler Lockett (@TDLockett12) July 19, 2020
I just want to play football but we need the @NFL to step up and create a safe work environment for us all! #WeWantToPlay
— Bruce Irvin (@BIrvin_WVU11) July 19, 2020
It’s crazy to hear the NFL has yet to address major health and safety issues with training camp being 2 weeks away. We want to play football. Make it happen @NFL. Keep us safe! #WeWanttoPlay
— DK Metcalf (@dkm14) July 19, 2020
Crazy to hear the @NFL is not following the recommendations of their own experts regarding player health and safety. How does this even make sense?? I want to play football but we need the @NFL to create a safe work environment for us#WeWantToPlay
— Duane Brown (@DuaneBrown76) July 19, 2020
Many of the players used #WeWantToPlay in their posts – and which, ESPN reports came from new Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones.
Jones’ idea, according to ESPN, was to explain to the public that their concerns are not about money but instead about health and safety.
Among the NFL Player’s Association reported requests to the league are daily testing, no preseason games and a “ramp-up” period that includes 21 days of strength and conditioning, 10 days of non-padded practices and 14 days of “contact acclimation” when they report to training camp.
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See more #WeWantToPlay tweets from NFL stars below:
The NFL has ignored the safety recommendations from the experts that THEY hired. We all love this game and want to go out and compete with our brothers. The NFL needs to provide a safe work environment for us to do that. #WeWantToPlay
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) July 19, 2020
Once again in the interest of keeping everyone (players & fans) as informed as possible, here is an updated list of what we as players know and don’t know as the first group gets set to report to training camp tomorrow.#WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/xQcjs33zgM
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) July 19, 2020
Getting ready to report this week hoping the @NFL will come to agreement with the safe and right protocols so we can feel protected playing the sport we love #WeWantToPlay
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) July 19, 2020
It blows my mind that the NFL is unwilling to follow the recommendations of their own experts regarding player health and safety. If we want to have a FULL season this year we need the NFL to listen to their experts! #WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/q55RpqRzPu
— Malcolm Jenkins (@MalcolmJenkins) July 19, 2020
You want to watch football this year? Us players need to remain healthy in order to make that happen. The @NFL needs to do their part in order to bring football back safely in 2020. #WeWantToPlay
— Todd Gurley II (@TG3II) July 19, 2020
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