© Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
On Monday, it was reported that four Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys players had tested positive for the coronavirus, including Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. With that news came a predictable unease within the NFL, as though many in the league had not prepared for the almost certain eventuality of their players testing positive for the virus.
Per ESPN’s Ed Werder, one head coach said the NFL needed to delay the start of the season and another questioned playing through a pandemic.
One NFL head coach described as “scary” that #Cowboys and #Texans players – including Ezekiel Elliott – tested positive for Coronavirus. Another HC told me league needs to delay start of the season. A third coach questioned wisdom of playing during a pandemic.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) June 15, 2020
Richard Sherman, however, cut a different figure, in a discussion with ESPN’s Josina Anderson. Sherman pointed to the reality that players are going to get the virus. It’s highly contagious and no matter what protocols are instituted, nothing will be foolproof.
Meanwhile, amid a report today that #Cowboys & #Texans players tested positive for CoVID19 & ongoing NFL measures, #49ers CB Richard Sherman said to me: “In general I think we just need to go out there as best we can & live life. I’m just not sure that we can shield….[Cont.]
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) June 15, 2020
“In general I think we just need to go out there as best we can and live life,” Sherman said via Anderson. “I’m just not sure that we can shield players from something that seems inevitable. Just think about how these protocols just keep raising more questions. Are we testing the bus drivers and their families, the flight attendants & the pilots, the hotel staff, the stadium staff, the refs, the refs families, the people that hold the yard-markers three times a week, you see how deep this goes with contact-tracing? Are you going to fly people in groups of 15 on the plane? Are the young guys not gonna go out all year? I mean this is crazy. There is no way to implement all of these protocols 1000% safely and make it completely foolproof. We just have to do the best we can carefully and respectfully.”
In addition to his captaincy and reverence within the 49ers organization, Sherman is a vice president of the NFLPA and well-respected around the league.