Stefon Diggs: 'I'd Be Lying If I Said I Was Comfortable' Playing Amid COVID-19

The NFL is scheduled to begin its 2020 regular season on Thursday, Sept. 10 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused over 11.5 million cases and 535,500 deaths worldwide, per World Health Organization figures from Tuesday.  

Numerous players and coaches have expressed concerns about the upcoming campaign, including Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who tweeted the following Tuesday:

Diggs also said he's "been training my butt off just trying to stay ready and prepared."

He's not the only player to express discomfort, with New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins and Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott notably doing so.

"Football is a nonessential business and so we don't need to do it," Jenkins said to CNN's John Berman. "So the risk, you know, has to be really eliminated before we—before I would feel comfortable with going back."

Elliott, who previously tested positive for COVID-19, expressed concerns about players' children and family members potentially having confirmed cases (h/t Jori Epstein of USA Today):

Around the league, coaches and players have discussed COVID-19 topics ranging from predictions on how many players will test positive for the coronavirus to the league's preseason protocols.

Of note, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times that he expects many players to get sick.

"The players, they're going to all get sick, that's for sure," Arians said. "It's just a matter of how sick they get."

NFLPA President and Cleveland Browns offensive lineman JC Tretter expressed issues regarding the preseason and 48-day training camp schedule. He wrote the following on the preseason in particular:

"The NFL has recently stated it wants to play two preseason games. When we asked for a medical reason to play games that don’t count in the standings during an ongoing pandemic, the NFL failed to provide one. The league did provide a football reason, though—to evaluate rosters. The NFL also stated that it was important to stage preseason games to check how our game protocols will work."

Like other American professional sports leagues trying to operate during the pandemic, the NFL is discussing the possibility of an "opt-out" program for players who do not want to participate in the 2020 season due to COVID-19, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

Contracts would "toll," meaning deals would pick up where they left off following the 2019 season.

For now, the NFL is scheduled to kick off with the Houston Texans visiting the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.