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Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on Mask Mandate: 'I Want to See College Football'

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured ColumnistAugust 4, 2020

Gov. Tate Reeves discusses his statewide order for people to wear masks in public amid a recent surge in cases of the new coronavirus during a COVID-19 press briefing, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020 in Jackson, Miss. Director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Greg Michel and State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs, also spoke and provided an update on the coronavirus and the state's ongoing strategy to limit transmission. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rogelio V. Solis/Associated Press

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves appealed to football fandom while trying to convince his constituents to wear a mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I want to see college football," he said Tuesday while issuing a statewide mask mandate, per Ashton Pittman of the Mississippi Free Press. "The best way for that to occur is for us all to realize is that wearing a mask, as irritating as that can be and I promise I hate it more than anyone watching, is critical."

Nick Bromberg of Yahoo Sports noted Mississippi is the 34th state to institute a mask mandate while trying to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

As for the football side of things around the Magnolia State, the SEC pushed the start date of its 2020 season to Sept. 26 and revealed it will play a 10-game conference-only schedule this campaign.

Reeves has stressed the importance of wearing a mask in the past. 

On July 20, he tweeted "I'm baffled by my friends who are so passionately anti-mask. This is so much better. No, it's not fun. Of course, there are a few people who can't safely wear masks. But as policy, wearing a mask at public gatherings is infinitely better than losing your paycheck and livelihood."