A Philadelphia Eagles star expressed regret about holding the NFL season on Wednesday, in the wake of at least three teams being affected by coronavirus cases.
Cornerback Darius Slay, acquired by the Eagles from the Detroit Lions in the offseason, said he didn't think the league should have forged ahead with the 2020 season due to the pandemic -- but he later clarified he's all in now that it's underway.
"We shouldn't have had one," Slay told reporters on a Wednesday conference call. "But it is what it is. We go to work and get it done. If there's a way that we can play, I'm going to play."
Slay suggested the overall situation just wasn't right for football.
"My true opinion, I felt like we shouldn't have even had one because of what was going on," he said. "It's a difficult time."
Slay signed off from the call briefly before returning to address his comments, ESPN reported. He said he became comfortable with the idea of playing once he reported to the Eagles and learned the league's protocols.
"We all make sacrifices and we made them," Slay said. "I think our staff and our team and the Eagles are doing a great job of securing us, and I think everyone is kind of committed to doing their job and making sure we can play Sunday. We continue to keep knocking on wood. We haven't had a sickness here yet so we'll continue to keep trying to find a way."
The Eagles were hit by a relatively minor outbreak during training camp -- including coach Doug Pederson -- but have managed to keep the virus under control since then.
A large outbreak affecting the Tennessee Titans prompted the postponement of their Week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, while additional positives this week jeopardized their Week 5 game against the Buffalo Bills. The New England Patriots lost their two best players -- quarterback Cam Newton and cornerback Stephon Gilmore -- and the Las Vegas Raiders reported their first positive on Wednesday.
The Eagles acquired Slay, a three-time Pro Bowler, in March, in exchange for a pair of draft picks. Pro Football Focus had him ranked as the 13th-best corner in the NFL through the first four weeks of the season.
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