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The NFL has said that rookies report for training camps on Tuesday, July 21. The catch is the NFL and the NFLPA haven’t come to any sort of agreement on what safety protocols and protections are for players once they are at camp. This has prompted many players including some members of the Pittsburgh Steelers to join the #WeWanttoPlay hashtag campaign on social media in an effort to garner goodwill from fans.
Here is a sampling of some of the tweets from Steelers’ players who want their voices heard with just days before training camp. There are many more players from Pittsburgh and other teams who have felt the need to speak out at a deadline approaches.
— Joe Haden (@joehaden23) July 19, 2020
— Terrell Edmunds (@rell_island6) July 19, 2020
— James Conner (@JamesConner_) July 19, 2020
#WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/slngQHxEDf
— Ryan Switzer (@Switz) July 19, 2020
Let’s be clear about one thing. There are no good guys in this debate. The NFL wants the season to move forward so they can make money. There are billions of dollars on the table and owners understand that. These men didn’t become billionaires by accident.
As for the players, they have misrepresented the league with this new campaign. The NFL and the NFLPA have swapped proposals over the past few weeks in an attempt to resolve it. So if you see a player calling out the league for doing nothing, this is simply untrue.
Could the NFL give more than they have? Of course. Could players do the same? Of course. If the players get what they want they would essentially have the option to say, I am scared to play because I might get sick and the league would have to pay them their salary. It would also mean if a player gets the coronavirus from irresponsible behavior away from the team, the franchise would be on the hook for that as well.
When you have two sides too spoiled and stubborn to see the other side, a deadline is often the only thing that works. The only reason both sides can be so bold about all of this is because they have enough money in the bank. But all those employees who could be put out of work over egos things are very different.
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