49ers’ dispute quaint amid NFL silliness
It seems like another lifetime ago that the 49ers were clinching a berth in the Super Bowl, that they were hugging each other after an NFC Championship Game and that Raheem Mostert was running for 220 yards and four touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers.
However, we were reminded this week that it was not light years ago in an entirely different universe but just a matter of months. Mostert and his agent would very much like us all to remember the days when an eyepopping performance from an unheralded player was what counted as something unusual in sports.
Oh, such innocent times. This week, Mostert’s agent requested a trade, if his client can’t be paid like a starting running back. The special teams standoutturnedrecordsetting running back would like a $2 million raise. That doesn’t seem like an unreasonable request, especially in light of the 49ers’ draftday
trade of Matt Breida to Miami and Mostert’s feelgood, remarkable run last season.
But these are not usual times, to state the obvious.
Forget that head coach Kyle Shanahan’s system seems to create startingcaliber running backs at will. Forget that Mostert is one of many on the 49ers’ roster. Forget who might be penciled in as a starter.
Much bigger questions loom: Is there going to be a season? And if not, what are the financial repercussions?
I understand that everyone — league, teams, players, agents — has to pretend it is business as usual and act accordingly. But the salarycap situation is a huge unknown. This week, the NFL proposed putting a portion of players’ 2020 salaries into escrow accounts, in case revenues plummet. The NFLPA indicated that idea is a nonstarter.
But it is just one piece of a situation that looks more and more untenable. Even though the NFL still seems to think training camps will open in about three weeks.
Some details of proposed new protocols have been leaked this week. Among them: NFL teams will be forbidden from postgame interactions within 6 feet of each other and jersey exchanges between players will be prohibited.
That has caused great hilarity among NFL players on social media.
Niners cornerback Richard Sherman tweeted: “This is a perfect example of NFL thinking in a nutshell. Players can go engage in a full contact game and do it safely. However, it is deemed unsafe for them to exchange jerseys after said game.” He accompanied his thought with three laughinguntil you cry emojis.
Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson tweeted, “That’s DAMN SILLY, Bro.”
Some other protocols being hammered out: Onfield fan seating prohibited. Both teams travel to stadium via bus. No media in the locker room. Players and coaches won’t be required to wear masks on the sidelines. Everyone else in the bench area must wear a mask. Anyone with bench access will be screened and anyone with a temperature above 100.4 degrees shall not be permitted in the stadium.
Are you laughing yet? Rolling your eyes? Congratulations, you’ve been paying attention to the pandemic.
If you think all of this sounds doable, you may want to think again. Or talk to Nashville SC, the MLS team that just got sent home from the Orlando “bubble” on the second day of competition, because of multiple coronavirus positive tests.
The NFL has long been the league of denial, but the coronavirus might push its silliness and obfuscation to new levels. Let two teams slobber, breathe and sweat all over each other for three hours? No problem, but make sure they don’t swap jerseys, because that would be really bad.
Allow 53 players and two dozen coaches to stand in a bench area together without masks but make sure the equipment man and the medical people are in masks? Sure, that seems smart.
No “onfield fan seating,” implying that other fan seating is going to be just fine?
Good for Mostert and his agent for asking for what the player deserves and for also acting like everything is normal.
And for reminding us of a simpler time, when we could have things like debates about who should be a starting quarterback. And not about whether there should even be any season at all.