If the NFL season begins this season, it is possible games will have to be played in empty stadiums because of the coronavirus pandemic. It would create an interesting situation for the players, who are used to crowd noise and fans cheering.
It might rattle some players, but not Arizona Cardinals cornerback Robert Alford.
“I’m self-motivated. You have to be self-motivated. Wher I come from, I come from a small school, so there weren’t hardly any fans in the stands anyway,” he said in a video conference with reporters.
Alford played collegiately at Southeastern Louisiana. Attendance at their games was under 10,000 regularly.
Alford said he has always played “with a chip on (his) shoulders.”
While some might believe that the play on the field might change because of the lack of fan energy in the stadium, Alford says it is about motivation.
“Once you have a dream or you have a goal that you have set for a team, I don’t think that it really matters as far as playing with fans,” he said. “I think you just have to be self-motvated and you have to motivate each other each and every day that you step on the grass. For game purposes, if there’s not fans, you have to be self-motivated.”
Ideally, when the Cardinals take the field this season, there will be fan. But if not, Alford will help lead the Cardinals to playing at a high level for each other.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
Ep. 267
Ep. 266
