DeAndre Hopkins reacted to the NFL's new memo on COVID-19 outbreaks during the season.
Teams who have a COVID-19 outbreak would be forced to forfeit games if they cannot be rescheduled.
Hopkins has since deleted his post and followed up with a new tweet saying "Freedom?" pic.twitter.com/plEQYTJ7a8
â The Athletic (
@TheAthletic
) July 22, 2021
Perhaps someone should answer his 'question' and put his mind at ease over the fact that freedom still exists in this country. Seems the issue at hand, however, is understanding the definition of freedom. Freedom means merchants can post No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service signs, so their shops can remain respectful, clean, and sanitary for all guests who visit. Freedom means bars and restaurants can have smoking banned from inside their establishments, so all patrons can enter without being subjected to the unwanted and unhealthy side effects of secondhand smoke.
And freedom also means that owners of sports franchise can vote to instate a rule that encourages its players to receive a safe and effective vaccination against a virus responsible for over four million deaths worldwide in the past year, helping to ensure the safety of their teammates, coaches, and fans, so all can enjoy participating in playing/watching the sport without adding to that total.
Now, if one doesn't want the vaccine and doesn't want to 'risk hurting my team' in so doing (which in itself raises questions about what one thinks not getting the vaccine will do to 'harm the team', and why one then wouldn't get it and save harming its members in much more important ways) - there's still the freedom of retiring from the sport. Of course, if you signed a two-year, $55mm extension in September, you may have to repay ~$22mm in bonus money. You may not find another career where you have that kind of earning potential.
But you do have freedom.
