The NFL is still discussing options on how to protect players during the 2020 season, which could include players wearing face shields during games. J.J. Watt, the All-Pro defensive end of the Houston Texans, is the latest player to speak out against wearing face shields in games.
While making an appearance on PFTPM, Watt shared a story from his second season in the NFL on why he refuses to wear a face shield:
“My second year in the league I thought it’d be cool, I put a visor on my helmet,” Watt said during a Wednesday visit to #PFTPM. “I was like, ‘It looks so cool, I wanna put a visor on.’ I had it on for about three periods of practice and I said, ‘Take this sucker off I’m gonna die out here.’ . . . So now you’re gonna put something around my mouth? You can keep that. If that comes into play, I don’t think you’re gonna see me on the field.”
Of course, the NFL and NFLPA are compiling ideas on how to ensure the safety of their players in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With training camps right around the corner, the league could choose to mandate wearing face shields.
The face shields would be an extension of a visor and would cover the mouth area of a player. However, players in the NFL don't seem to support the idea of having a face covering that could interfere with their play on the field.
Watt is among the many players in the NFL that is curious about how the league plans on creating a safe environment in the upcoming season. Some players, most recently Stefon Diggs, have expressed their concerns about playing football in 2020. Nevertheless, with training camps set to begin on July 28, it appears the NFL still has some kinks to work out in their plan to play during the coronavirus pandemic.
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