Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson is weighing his options closely. The NFL has yet to put a plan in place to fully outline a strategy to commence the 2020 season, despite having the biggest advantage of all — time.
Peterson is in a different position than most players, as he was diagnosed with diabetes in 2014. With a compromised immune system, the danger of contracting the novel coronavirus has steeper implications for the All-Pro standout:
“If I feel that if that’s the safest thing possible for us to be able to come back to work, I’m all-in,” said the Cardinals talent, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. “But if it’s not, obviously I have to make — not I, we all have to make a very, very smart decision because you don’t want to have the opportunity to bringing that back home.
“So, that’s the biggest thing we [can] do is make sure that we’re smart. I know the NFL is doing everything that they can, but it’s just so tough to put a finger on it on how to evolve around this virus.”
Peterson will want to ensure there are minimal chances of contracting the virus upon returning to training camp and eventually, games.
Unlike other sports like baseball and soccer, football is often played at very close proximity, with body-to-body contact happening in every play. The risk itself is higher that way, despite the use of helmets in actual games.
There is still a question about how to properly conduct full-contact practices without putting players at risk. Once the NFL has gotten over that hurdle, it should put Peterson more at ease.
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