Super Bowl LV would go on as planned, even if the game's biggest stars test positive for COVID-19.
As a guest on ESPN Radio's Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin, NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith was asked if the game would be postponed if either of the star quarterbacks - Tom Brady of Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City Chiefs - were to test positive.
"I don't see any scenario where we would agree with the league to move the Super Bowl," Smith says. "I mean, look, we've had a difficult season.
"We've had teams in Cleveland, where I think JC Tretter, our union president, was breaking down film because they didn't have a coach. We saw the Denver Broncos head into a game without a number of quarterbacks.
"I think it wouldn't be fair to the rigor and the discipline that we've insisted that players have this year to move the Super Bowl," he says.
The Chiefs currently have two players on the reserve/COVID-19 list - wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and back-up centre Daniel Kilgore. Both were considered high risks, after their barber reportedly tested positive.
They likely will be eligible to play in the game, should they continue to test negative.
Smith says the players have done their best to limit their exposure to the virus. Throughout the testing period from August 1 through January 30, approximately 957,400 tests were administered.
During that time, 262 players and 463 other personnel had confirmed positive cases, the NFL and NFLPA say in their weekly COVID-19 report.
"My hope - and certainly everybody's hope - is that our players will continue to double down, do the great job that they've done all season and we'll get this fantastic game kicked off on time," Smith says.
The Buccaneers are the first team to play in a Super Bowl in their home stadium.
Join us at 12:30pm Monday for live updates of Super Bowl 2021 between Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs
