There’s gonna be a lot of really sad NFL players this season when teams play against the Baltimore Ravens. After tons of players lined up following games to swap jerseys with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson last season, the NFL is prohibiting the activity this coming season.
The NFL is forbidding teams from postgame interactions, including the jersey swap, and prohibiting players from being within six feet from one another following the final whistle, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The idea seems to be to limit player interactions as much as possible and therefore any potential transmission of the coronavirus.
However, some players like former Baltimore tight end Hayden Hurst and safety Eric Weddle, and current wide receiver Willie Snead, showed contempt at the idea.
Players and fans identified how silly the concept is on Twitter, calling the NFL out for only caring about the optics of the situation rather than the health of anyone involved. Considering football involves players coming into close contact during blocking and tackling, handshakes and hugs following the game seemingly pales in comparison.
However, as Pelissero later noted, the new rule was agreed to both by the NFL and NFLPA. While it doesn’t seem to make a ton of sense on the surface, it’s one of the few things both the league and players union have agreed upon thus far.
Though most fans might be left scratching their head at this rule, most would probably agree that anything needed in order to have a 2020 regular season is a good thing. For those Ravens opponents that want a Jackson jersey this season, they’ll have to visit the stores like everyone else.
