Fear hangs over starting camps
Texans’ Martin admits players worry about having 75-90 guys in one place
Uncertainty surrounds the world, including sports, during the coronavirus pandemic.
As the NFL attempts to launch training camps later this month following a virtual offseason, there are a myriad of questions and concerns being raised by players during a health crisis with rising amounts of deaths, hospitalizations and positive tests.
Although the league and the NFL Players Association are establishing guidelines regarding social distancing, testing and quarantine of players and staff that test positive for COVID-19 in consultation with medical offi
cials, the virus could disrupt all of those plans. Especially because football is a contact sport with huge rosters, the possibility of a major outbreak within teams is a realistic scenario according to health experts.
That creates a fear of the unknown for players and potentially increased risk of contracting the coronavirus. Several NFL players have already tested positive this offseason, including Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller, Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen along with Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers players.
“For sure, there’s a danger factor because there are a lot more variables when you have 75, 90 guys in a facility all day,” Texans linebacker Jacob Martin said. “What does that look like? How do you social distance in meeting rooms? You can’t social distance in football. There’s contact.
“There’s a lot of breathing and things that are going on in closed spaces. I think that is a little bit of a fear factor because you don’t know what it’s going to look like. It would be different if cases were going down and on the decline.”
Martin and his teammates have been preparing diligently as the majority of NFL teams get set for camps to start July 28. They’ve been gathering information as the players’ union and the NFL hold discussions about whether to have two preseason games, the league’s preference, or none, which is the union’s stance.
Regardless, Martin intends to be ready whenever football resumes.
“For a lot of guys, they’re preparing as if there will be no changes in the schedule in terms of report dates and stuff like that,” Martin said. “I think that’s the smart thing to do. We really don’t know when we’ll be back up and running. So, guys are reading certain things on the Internet.
“There’s a lot of speculation. Guys are just trying to stay ready and go through their offseason process as much as possible.”
Although wearing protective visors and masks has been discussed, Martin isn’t in favor of wearing them while playing football in hot conditions.
“I don’t know who’s come up with that idea, but clearly they’ve never been in Houston in the summertime or Florida in the summertime trying to do training camp outside in 97-percent humidity when it’s 93 degrees,” Martin said. “That’s just not possible. It’s a good idea, but I don’t know how many guys would want to play with a mask over their nose and mouth. A lot of guys play with a visor already, that’s enough air restriction.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott instituted a statewide mask order because of the rapid spread of the coronavirus. With many people refusing to wear masks or practice social distancing over the past few months, the crisis is mounting.
“For sure, I think that’s why we’re in the situation we’re in now because people didn’t take it seriously and social distance and just be mindful with their neighbors in terms of their health,” Martin said.