The clock is ticking.
The NFL and the NFLPA are hard at work to put together a finalized set of amended policies and procedures ahead of the upcoming 2020 schedule — the objective being to keep player safety as a top priority amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has threatened sports leagues all over the world. One thing that the NFL has had on its side relative to the rest of the leagues is time — but the pressure is starting to get turned up.
A byproduct of the ongoing conversations between the league and the players association is some frustration from some of the players with a lack of definitive answers on that front. The good news? The players seem to want to play. At least most of them do. Those who ultimately opt out of the season to protect their individual health or the health of their families are well within their rights to make that decision. But seemingly the majority of the players want to play. But they also want to do so safely.
Take the Miami Dolphins’ newly acquired cornerback Byron Jones, for example. His tweet from earlier in the week illustrates the mentality of many players who have sat in on the ongoing calls:
Frustrating to hear the NFL has yet to address major issues regarding player health + safety with training being 2 weeks away. We just want to play football. Make it happen @NFL
— Byron Jones (@Byron31Jump) July 9, 2020
“We just want to play football. Make it happen.”
Jones, who signed a monster contract in free agency this offseason with the Dolphins, has been vocal on social media about several issues over the last few months — including offering some advice to incoming rookies regarding their financial outlook as NFL players and now the discussions between the league and NFLPA regarding safety protocols for the NFL’s return to action. The Dolphins, along with majority of the rest of the NFL, are scheduled to return to training camp on July 28th — but there’s plenty of work to be done between now and then.
Players like Jones have made that abundantly clear.