The MLB is one of a few pro sports leagues that is trying to give it a go before the NFL’s season comes around. But due to an uptick coronavirus-related challenges, some players in baseball are opting out of playing in the 2020, 60-game season, the league is hoping to play.
But according to a recent report, the NFL doesn’t sound like it’s going to be putting that option on the table for players just yet. Per NFLPA Vice President Sam Acho, who had a training camp cup of coffee with the Bills in 2019, the league isn’t exactly jumping to give players that option.
“The league is very hesitant to have any player opt out,” Acho said via Pro Football Talk. “Their position is if the player doesn’t want to go to training camp, well that’s their decision. Obviously, fines could take a player and you could lose your starting spot, all those things could take place.”
“The NFL as a league is trying to keep that from happening,” he added.
The NFL has just three weeks to iron out the details ahead of the start of training camps on July 28. The league has insisted that camps will begin, as scheduled. But due to the uptick in COVID-19 cases in players in other sports leagues and just citizens in general nationwide… we’ll see what happens with playing games.
The one card the NFL has in their pocket as opposed to other sports leagues is that they’re not yet at a point where it’s trying to “force” games to happen. Instead, the league is hoping to have their usual September slate of games go off.
Most recently, new Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs took to social media to say “he’d be lying if he said he was comfortable” in a string of messages in regard to returning to playing. Prior to that, safety Micah Hyde had multiple players in the NFL he’s spoken to expressed to him they’re not quite such about returning, either.
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