Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has no intention of being caught off guard for the upcoming football season.
Wilson, who was part of the viral #WeWantToPlay campaign on Twitter featuring NFL stars concerned about the league’s response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, recently spoke with Joel McHale on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” about the upcoming NFL season. To prepare for the possibility of face shield requirements, Wilson says, he has been practicing with a face shield on his helmet every day to get him accustomed to the feel; however, it is unlikely that the league will go beyond recommending their usage.
“That’s gonna be crazy (if the NFL requires face shields),” Wilson said. “But, you know, we’re already out there… so it’s a little bit late, maybe, for that.”
The Seahawks are set to kick off their training camp on July 28, when the full roster is expected to report. The league has set rosters at a maximum of 80 players (instead of the usual 90) to enforce social distancing measures and also agreed with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) on Tuesday to eliminate the entire 2020 preseason.
“It’s really, really important that we do it the right way at the highest level,” said Wilson. “At the end of the day, we want to play, but we want to do it in a safe way.”