“It’s a Risk that We are All Willing to Take” – Philadelphia Eagles OT on Returning to the Training Facility Next Month

Wearing a mask has become a serious political issue associated with fundamental freedoms now. But given the potential of COVID-19 and the means by which it can spread, it’s perhaps a necessity. Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle, Lane Johnson tweeted a video on Thursday urging everyone to wear a mask.

Philadelphia Eagles willing to risk their health to return to the field

The Eagles’ Training Camp is less than a month away and Johnson, like everyone else, wants to return to normalcy, but safely. Going back to the team’s training facility is a “risk that we are all willing to take”, Johnson told Jeff Skversky of 6ABC.

“Ultimately it’s a risk that we are all willing to take if you go outside of your house or whatever you’re doing like going shopping. I’ve been doing a pretty good job [of] staying in the house and keeping my social distancing protocols… It’s going to be a risk that we are going to have to take and see what happens.”

Philadephia is set to begin its season on 13 September, playing against the Washington Redskins. However, due to the uncertainty attached to the pandemic, there remain a lot of unanswered questions about the NFL‘s return even now.

The league has already reportedly chopped the preseason in half. And the NFL is now considering having fans sign a waiver if they want to attend games in 2020.

However, players’ safety is very vital to the continuation of the league once it begins. Eagles’ head coach, Doug Pederson spoke to NBC Sports in June regarding situations where the virus spreads to the locker room. He said, “Obviously there are a lot of ways to go about things… But these are all things that right now, between now and the time we play are really — or I should say the time we get back to training camp, are the scenarios that we need to, as a staff, think through.”

Pederson added that the Philadelphia Eagles and its staff shall discuss many such scenarios in the coming weeks.

Let’s hope that the 2020 season goes on in a healthy and safe manner once it kickoffs in September.