Murphy’s quarantine should deem pro football essential (Opinion)

Do you consider professional football essential in New Jersey? Former Eagle and current New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins doesn't think so. He's made his opinion known to CNN, where he said, "Football is a nonessential business and we don't need to do it. So the risk, you know, really has to be eliminated before I would feel comfortable with going back."

Regardless of how Jenkins feels, pro football couldn't be more essential from a mental health aspect. We the fans need it badly, as we do our other favorite sports. The players, not all of whom make big money, need it from a financial aspect. They only have so many years to capitalize on their talents and if they want to play, they should be able to do so.

However, if a player should not want to play out of fear of catching the virus and passing it on to his family, we as fans should have no problem with that.

Another reason football should be deemed essential in New Jersey is Gov. Phil Murphy's recent 14-day quarantine mandate to people returning from states struggling with COVID-19. When the governor was asked if that meant that President Donald Trump would have to quarantine himself for 14 days should he visit his Bedminster golf course, he replied that the President is "essential," therefore the quarantine would not apply.

So if we're saying non-essential people have to quarantine themselves for 14 days upon returning from a COVID -19 affected state — which right now includes  Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Arkansas, Arizona, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington State Utah and Texas — what happens Oct. 11 when the New York Giants travel to Dallas to play the Cowboys? Can you see the team quarantining for 14 days when they return home? Thus you can expect our governor as well as other governors across the country to deem pro football essential, and I'm on board with that. Unless of course the Giants get blown out in the "Big D," in which case their fans will want them to quarantine for 14 days ... if not longer.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise. Any opinions expressed are Steve's own. Steve Trevelise is on New Jersey 101.5 Monday-Thursday from 7pm-11pm. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

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