Forget Roger Goodell, the NFL might need someone like George Patton to develop a plan to kick off the 2020 season.
That’s the famed general not Minnesota Vikings assistant general manager George Paton, who typically turns down promotions every year or so.
The league is currently facing a three-pronged assault when it comes to pulling a season off in the era of COVID-19 and you might be surprised to find out the virus itself has become an ancillary player in all of this.
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The real hurdles are the public, the players, and the various state and local governments that keep throwing up a different roadblocks at businesses every few days due to a perfect storm of misinformation, disinformation, and fear.
Because COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon, the league will need a strategic mastermind to win this war like General Patton or tap out until early November with the latter option starting to look like the better path.
Why?
There is an adage inside the Beltway about election years like 2020 that’s simple and direct: in an election year, everything is about the election.
No matter what side of the politically-charged fence you’re on or how well-versed in the issues you think you may be, if you’re not in on the con you’re being conned. The “party of science” embraces science right up until the statistics don’t fit the narrative and shaming is the easier route. The “law-and-order party” ignores law and order if it gives it an extra percentage point of two in a demographic that could tilt things.
Politicians are trying to get elected and they are manipulating everyone toward that goal.
As the protests and subsequent riots have been pushed off the front page, COVID-19 has magically returned to P1 status with the accompanying angst and everything that encompasses.
The lone prediction you’ll get here is that the virus isn’t going anywhere but the country will restart en masse in early November no matter the outcome of the election. Once it’s over there are no more political points to gain from shutting down the economy from either side so necessity and self-preservation win out at that point.
To start on time, the NFL has to beat that date by two months, however, and you’ll be hearing about positive tests and players potentially opting out throughout the process just like what’s going on with the NBA.
As the NFL plans, however, the NFLPA is waiting while in a position of rare power with the understanding it can either weaponize a misinformed public and constituency or let it be weaponized against the union.
NLPA president JC Tretter, the Cleveland Browns center, wants all players to understand what’s at stake.
“Any time there is uncertainty, a tough issue or even when we are at odds with the NFL, a few common narratives arise from the media and public,” Tretter explained in an open letter to the players. “Professional athletes in every sport have to regularly fend off criticism that our profession should be considered less of a job and that we shouldn’t fight for protections and benefits. As we begin our fight for necessary COVID-19 protections, these recycled misconceptions will be used to undermine the strength of our union and the legitimacy of your career.”
Tretter’s goal there is an attempt to fight off the players’ side of the publicity problem, namely the portion of the general public which believes athletes are overpaid and entitled. It’s already played out elsewhere with the thought process that everyone has suffered and the players should as well and do their part to kickstart things.
“It’s your job,” Tretter countered. “It is a highly sought-after job and a childhood dream, but it is a job, nonetheless. You worked your ass off to earn this job, and you have to continue to work your ass off to keep it.”
Solidarity is a term often used by unions and keeping workers together is always easier said than done. While groupthink is the way of the social-media world, at the micro-level people often can’t agree on lunch, never mind substantive issues.
“Do not allow anyone to undermine the work you put in day after day to earn a spot in this profession,” Tretter wrote. “The attempt to frame your occupation as a ‘privilege’ is a way to make you feel like you should be happy with whatever you get versus exercising your right to fight for more protections and benefits.”
Context is needed there.
It is a privilege to play in the NFL, but it’s also one that’s earned with countless hours of hard work and dedication. No one should be forced to play the game but no one ever really is. You can always walk away with the understanding that the money you would have earned leaves with you.
A job is a job, but if you have a job you love you never really work, a mindset Tretter also tried combating.
“I love what I do,” Tretter acknowledged. “I know a lot of my peers love what they do, too. There are people in all different professions who love what they do. Being passionate about your job shouldn’t prevent you from seeking better pay, benefits and work rules from your employer. Our careers are short and painful. Like every other worker, we should always work to maximize what we get for our services and realize our full value.”
Whether that’s a money grab or a simple acknowledgment that money already negotiated for shouldn’t be altered, the green stuff isn’t going to stop COVID-19.
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If you’re truly worried about the virus, a cost-benefit analysis that provides an extra percentage point or two of revenues of a smaller pie shouldn’t be the goal. Conversely, if it’s truly about health protocols only, perhaps Tretter is trending toward altruism.
“We are not invincible, and as recent reports have shown, we certainly aren’t immune to this virus,” Tretter writes. “Underlying conditions like high BMI, asthma, and sleep apnea are all associated with a higher risk of developing severe symptoms and complications when infected with COVID-19. Those conditions are widespread across the league. NFL players are humans — some with immuno-compromised family members or live-in elderly parents.
“Trust me: We want to play football. But as a union, our most important job is keep our players safe and alive. The NFLPA will fight for our most at-risk players and their families.”
It’s not hard to become cynical, however, when the discussion always circles back to money.
“As employees of NFL teams, we put a product on the field that brings in billions of dollars,” Tretter correctly stated. “The NFLPA collectively bargained for a percentage of that revenue. When the NFL and NFLPA split up billions of dollars, that leaves players in a position to make life-changing money. If less money was allocated to players, NFL owners would not turn around and gift the extra revenue to pay teachers, nurses, or other workers more money. The shaming of players (workers) to take less compensation will only further line the billionaire owners’ pockets.”
This shouldn’t be this difficult.
When it comes to money, the players should not settle for anything less than they were promised under the CBA — but they also shouldn’t push for anything more because the economic landscape has changed. Play or don’t play with the smaller pie to divvy up at the same rate, but the negotiations over everything but COVID-related issues are over.
The sickest cliche-turned-truth in all of politics, however, is “never let a crisis go to waste.”
Maybe it’s just the flawed nature of the human condition that prevents so many from trying to take advantage of everything, even a pandemic.
No matter the explanation, it sure is ugly.
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John McMullen is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media’s Football 24/7 Network and also contributes Eagles and NFL coverage for PhillyVoice and SI.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com
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