Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields has started a petition requesting the Big Ten immediately reinstate the 2020 football season. As of 4 p.m. ET Sunday, the petition had over 1240,000 signatures.
In a tweet, Fields urged people to sign the #WeWantToPlay petition and said that “this cause is close to my heart.” The petition says players feel the Big Ten should give individual teams and players more of a voice in deciding how to move forward with a season. It also says it is demanding that the conference allow players who choose to opt-out to do so without repercussions.
“We believe that safety protocols have been established and can be maintained to mitigate concerns of exposure to Covid 19,” the petition reads. “We believe that we should have the right to make decisions about what is best for our health and our future. Don’t let our hard work and sacrifice go to waste.”
The petition follows the Big Ten’s decision to postpone the 2020 season over COVID-19 concerns. The Pac-12 followed suit the next day. The other Power Five conferences — the ACC, Big 12 and SEC — intend on having fall sports. With all the uncertainties, though, that could change.
A number of others are joining Fields in pushing conferences to further their efforts to have a season. Parents from Iowa, Penn State, Ohio State and Nebraska have urged the Big Ten to reverse its decision, ESPN reports.
The controversy isn’t new for the Big Ten. When it announced the postponement of the season, some considered it smart and proactive. But others thought the decision was a way of escaping players’ demands for accountability and protection from COVID-19-related medical expenses.
At this point, safety is at the forefront of these issues. But it’s obvious that the players believe that conferences and the NCAA can do more in an effort to safely play football.