Richard Sherman, 49ers' union rep, says NFL plans fluid due to virus

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The risks of football are inherent and, largely, unspoken among players.

Veteran cornerback Richard Sherman, the 49ers’ union representative, said players’ concerns about returning to play football during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have also largely gone unmentioned this offseason.

“There haven’t been many people relay any true concerns about health risks,” Sherman said in a video call with Bay Area reporters. “The concerns and the questions usually are in regard to when are we coming back. Are we coming back for minicamp? What is the exact date? And all those things right now are really fluid.”

[49ERS INSIDER PODCAST: Listen to the latest episode]

The NFL prohibited gatherings for offseason workouts at team practice facilities. All teams were allowed to conduct meetings only through video technology.

The NFL last month announced the standard four-game preseason and 16-game regular-season schedules. But the NFL Network reported this week the NFL and the players union are discussing the possibility of trimming the preseason from four to two games per team.

[RELATED49ers' Sherman sees pros, cons in talk of shortened preseason]

Sherman said everyone must remain flexible because nobody has any idea what impact the virus might have on the world –- not to mention the NFL. Eventually, football will return. But when and how it gets there will be determined by the virus.

“I think just like a lot of the experts who dealt with this novel virus, things have changed day by day,” Sherman said. “I think the NFL and the way they’ve maneuvered through this time, will change day by day as science improves and information and knowledge improves about the virus and how to best combat it and stay safe.

“At the end of the day, football is football. No matter how much you keep 90 guys away from each other, they’ll run into each other. They’ll play football at some point or another.”

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