The NFL and NFL Players Association still have several issues to sort out before the green light is given to proceed with the 2020 season, and a number of star players took to social media on Sunday to express how frustrated they are with the negotiations.
In what seemed like a coordinated effort to put pressure on the NFL, top players like Drew Brees, Russell Wilson and J.J. Watt took aim at the league over not having a coherent health and safety plan in place.
We need Football! We need sports! We need hope! The NFL’s unwillingness to follow the recommendations of their own medical experts will prevent that. If the NFL doesn’t do their part to keep players healthy there is no football in 2020. It’s that simple. Get it done @NFL
— Drew Brees (@drewbrees) 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
I am concerned.
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
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) 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
Playing football and feeling safe at work SHOULD NOT be mutually exclusive! Time is running down and we need answers #WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/YPboNL47Mf
— Zach Ertz (@ZERTZ_86) 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
If the NFL doesn’t do their part to keep players healthy there is no football in 2020. It’s that simple. #WeWantToPlay
— Myles Garrett ⚡️ (@MylesLGarrett) July 19, 2020
Crazy to see how the NFL is not following the recommendations of its own experts regarding health and safety for Us as players! As of today questions have not been answered and we want to play football. Y’all want to watch football this year?#WeWantToPlay
— Jarvis Juice Landry (@God_Son80) July 19, 2020
That was just a sampling of what some of the NFL’s biggest names had to say, so the tweets were clearly sent at the directive of the NFLPA. As we saw with negotiations between MLB and the MLB Players Association, the two sides clearly are not seeing eye-to-eye on a number of key issues. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that the tweet blitz on Sunday came in response to the acclimation period for players, with the union wanting all preseason games canceled and the NFL still wanting two.
Translating the #WeWantToPlay posts you're seeing now: Joint medical committee recommended a 21-day acclimation period. NFL asked players to show up 2 weeks early to accomodate it; NFLPA said no. NFL shortened acclimation period to accommodate 2 preseason games. Union wants 0.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 19, 2020
Training camp is still expected to begin on schedule, which is July 28 for most teams. However, NFLPA president J.C. Tretter warned over the weekend that players may not be ready for it.
It would be a shock if the two sides cannot come to an agreement in the coming weeks, but the negotiations could get more tenuous before that happens.
