San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman on Sunday voiced his dissatisfaction with the way the NFL is handling its return-to-work plan. Rookies are scheduled to report to training camp on Tuesday, with quarterbacks and injured players arriving later in the week. All others, like Sherman, are to report the week after, on July 28.
The NFL recently sent an email to teams stating that the schedule remains the timeline as the league gears up for the 2020 season amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Sherman notes that players love the game and want to return to football, but they want to do so safely, and the league is pushing forward without properly considering that safety.
The NFL has ignored the safety recommendations from the experts that THEY hired. We all love this game and want to go out and compete with our brothers. The NFL needs to provide a safe work environment for us to do that. #WeWantToPlay
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) July 19, 2020
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated added the following as a response to Sherman, giving fans further insight into what the 49ers cornerback is referencing.
One example of what @RSherman_25 is referencing ...
• Joint committee advised 3-week acclimation, THEN helmets go on.
• After that, 3 more weeks of practice, THEN your first game.
• Under this timeline, you can't play preseason games ... Unless you push regular season back. https://t.co/oCp1asygt3
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) July 19, 2020
Sherman retweeted the following from his former defensive teammate, DeForest Buckner.
There won't be an @NFL season if we don't put players health and safety first. Who's playing the games if we're all sick? #WeWanttoPlay
— DeForest Buckner (@DeForestBuckner) July 19, 2020
49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw has similar concerns while George Kittle posted Sherman's #WeWantToPlay hashtag, showing his support for the campaign.
I want to play but I don't want to get sick 😒
— Keaundre Greenlaw (@DreGreenlaw) July 19, 2020
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) July 19, 2020
How much longer can the @NFL wait to respond to address these health issues!? #wewanttoplay
— Kyle Juszczyk (@JuiceCheck44) July 19, 2020
J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans provided an updated list of what players still don't know, even with training camps set to begin.
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
Sherman went on to retweet the following posts by other prominent NFL stars, who are campaigning for the NFL to increase its efforts to keep players safe.
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
It blows my mind that the NFL is unwilling to follow the recommendations of their own experts regarding player health and safety. If we want to have a FULL season this year we need the NFL to listen to their experts! #WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/q55RpqRzPu
— Malcolm Jenkins (@MalcolmJenkins) July 19, 2020
This is the ultimate safety and fairness issue that anyone can imagine. To be clear, we want to play. But, we also want to protect ourselves and our families. As players, we take health risk in this game everyday. But we've never imagine having to take those risk to our families.
— DIGGS (@stefondiggs) July 19, 2020
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
I want to play ball this year! But we are going to need the @NFL to make sure they are listening to everyone and taking the steps for the players and their families to be safe! #WeWantToPlay
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) 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. Please address health and safety concerns so we can play football this year. We want to play!
— Jared Goff (@JaredGoff16) 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
We all want to play this season, but we need to stay safe in order to actually have a season! It's time for the @NFL to step up and do their part so that us players can be safe at work and go play the game we love! #WeWantToPlay
— Carson Wentz (@cj_wentz) July 19, 2020
George Kittle retweeted the following.
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
Then you have the following from the 49ers' legendary running back, now with the New York Jets, Frank Gore.
.@NFL Now is the time! We need you to listen to your medical experts and make it safe for us players to play the game we love‼️#WeWantToPlay🙏🏿
— Frank Gore (@frankgore) July 19, 2020