Carlton Davis Questions Safety, Need Of Spring Practice
May 19th, 2021
”I stand with our team,” says the Buccaneers’ No. 1 cornerback.
At least that’s what he said a few weeks ago when asked about the statement issued by the NFL players’ union, which declared the Buccaneers — as a team — will be exercising their rights to not attend voluntary spring practices. A fully virtual offseason combined with true teamwork was good enough in 2020, per the statement, so safety (allegedly) is the go-to choice for Bucs players.
But will the players stick to their pledge?
That is unclear. Few have spoken publicly on the topic. Carlton Davis, however, opened up to the Behind The Mask podcast.
“I stand with our team. You know, with COVID going on and cases are still going around, I just don’t think it’s the right thing for us to put our families in jeopardy again of catching that and possibly spreading it,” Davis said.
“I think it was the right thing, the right call to make — to have a virtual offseason again. Just because we really don’t have our hand on this situation. With the vaccines coming out, it does make it better. But everybody’s not comfortable with the vaccines yet because of the reports of, you know, people having blood clots. But I definitely feel like that was the right move to make. This offseason, we’re going to hold each other accountable again. We’re going to continue to meet virtually, call each other about the schemes and any new plays that our coaches have put in. You know, we’re going to meet up and get our work in like we did last year, and continue to keep that competitive edge.
“I trust all our guys — have the complete, utmost trust that they’ll take care of their business just like I’m going to take care of my business. Because it’s all about accountability in this league. You can’t baby anybody; we’re all grown men. You either want to be accountable to your team and the goals you set, or you’re not.”
Joe’s not quite sure how players are safer training on their own rather than being together at One Buc Palace under virus safety protocols. But the point is moot. The workouts are voluntary, aka optional.
However, Joe does expect some Bucs veterans to show up next week for a four reasons:
They love being around their team. They want to impress coaches. They want the quality workout/teaching that can’t be replicated at home. They want to protect their cash; getting hurt on your own means the team isn’t responsible.
May 19th, 2021 at 4:32 pm
THe last sentence is the key
I think it was a tackle from broncos that tore achilles or acl working out on his own. No pay for you
May 19th, 2021 at 4:33 pm
If I’m an older player I’m not taking any chances getting hurt away from the facility and getting cut while losing out on millions. Nope. I will show up and put in the work there.
May 19th, 2021 at 4:36 pm
You get paid millions of dollars to play a game… the sickness is in the rear view mirror!
STFU and BUC UP!!!
BA should say “No practice, No ring”
May 19th, 2021 at 4:42 pm
Trade him
May 19th, 2021 at 4:55 pm
I don’t fear the ‘rona’. Considering all the hype we’ve been inundated with for the past year plus, I don’t judge others for being afraid. Football players are not paid to be especially good at separating fact from fiction in the news.
I do think they could at least show up for outdoor activities and perhaps do the indoor stuff remotely. Weight room work can be scheduled to limit contact as much as possible.
May 19th, 2021 at 4:59 pm
I like Davis….but, problems with the vaccine….blood clots…..last time I checked none of our players was a woman of child-bearing age.
If you have the vaccine….you should feel free to show up to practice….after all…we played all last year without them.
If I’m a player…i do all my playing, practicing and workouts at the facility.
May 19th, 2021 at 4:59 pm
to each his own!!!!
players need to do whats best for them and their family….
GO BUCS!!!!!
May 19th, 2021 at 4:59 pm
I would say it went well for us last year. This shows the reason they are voluntary. I rather extend a players carrier than not.
Because we have Brady as the General of the team we should expect the same or even better than last year.
The lost decade is gone Bucs fans. Let it go! Don’t drag it with you like a ball and chain.
We are going for ✌️in a row.
Go Bucs!!!
May 19th, 2021 at 5:06 pm
From where I live on the west coast, we see Gov. De Santis leading the charge re-opening businesses. His press conference has reverberated to local politics and even pressed the POTUS to follow suit. It’s super interesting the Bucs’ policy opposes Gov. De Santis’ position.
May 19th, 2021 at 5:08 pm
..he is allover the place, he SHOULD say what he says 90% of interview… you know pol$ticly correct… then at the end as an athlete he understand that they should practice to be champions again. sad to see people NOT being themselves. Kind of weak, in my opinion…
let see if they going to let us go to the stadium, or refund the money AGAIN.. very sad.
May 19th, 2021 at 5:15 pm
..just remember how lousy they were in the beginning of the season last year. Virtual workouts may do as much good as playing Maddon..
May 19th, 2021 at 5:18 pm
@Tampabaybucfan Says:
“I like Davis….but, problems with the vaccine….blood clots…..last time I checked none of our players was a woman of child-bearing age..”
——————-
…not only that, but they were 5 out of 10 mil… so 0.00005%
in USA alone, base on statistics: 15.3 deaths/100,000 NSAID/aspirin users.
that is = 0.0153%.
That mean you have chances 306 TIMES more to die from aspirin(the magic medicine), than from J&J vaccine. Ignorance.. you can’t fight it, you just move away.
May 19th, 2021 at 5:21 pm
There is no scenario that is free from risk. Pick your poison and accept the results.
May 19th, 2021 at 5:39 pm
As It is, It is not our Health, our Family, or our Money on the line with the coming together to train decision. When supportive, well-wishing, uncovid-concerned fans could potentially, bring that into these player’s homes, and families. These players have made a group decision they are standing together with.
Way to lead, Gentlemen. Way to lead.
Go! Bucs!
May 19th, 2021 at 5:44 pm
Get the vaccine, no COVID threat after that.
Problem solved. Of course the offseason get togethers are good, just because you are a veteran and know the playbook there are youngsters that need the team time. Don’t be selfish. Fewer but longer team get togethers in the offseason, just my opinion.
May 19th, 2021 at 6:39 pm
By now, the whole team and staff should’ve had their shots. Don’t see the problem.
May 19th, 2021 at 6:56 pm
Bri its been a year and a half and this virus nonsense has to stop….ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!
May 19th, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Nobody likes spring training, not high school, college, or pros. Period. End of discussion.
Covid makes excuses easier.
May 19th, 2021 at 7:11 pm
@SB~LV: research “covid breakthrough.”
Many in the tens of thousands have reported covid infections after “fully vaccinated,” and those are just the ones officially reported. Thousands have died. The swine flu vaccine was discontinued after 50 died.
Statistically, the experimental gene therapy, at best, is barely marginal in subduing a covid infection vs. a healthy immune system. Fact.
May 19th, 2021 at 7:14 pm
virtual worked fine when everybody did it – the playing field was even. If our guys think they can go virtual while most of the rest of the league does things in person, and not lose something, I think they’re dreaming.
May 19th, 2021 at 7:33 pm
Damn the one thing you can’t count on is who’s gonna become the damn diva after getting a Super Bowl ring. The more they tak the more I worry
May 19th, 2021 at 8:14 pm
Once again an uneducated ( Covid) athlete that is babied and just clearly needs leadership away from the team !! I’m assuming he doesn’t go in a store or restaurant at all , ever !!! That unknown is way worse than a controlled , tested team environment but if you listen to fauchi nn you really start to not think for yourself !!! Btw there are numerous fully ok ed anti virals that are ultra affective that Fauchi and friends won’t even mention as they want the Covid flu shot ( this is NOT a vaccine) to be given out . They are clearly hiding effective treatments to push the shot . Carlton go visit some ( of the 1000’s) of construction sites , around Tampa you may learn something about yourself !! I mean that in a respectful positive way !! Carlton I love your play , dedication and leadership for football and yu sure seem like a good dude but you are relying on people that got you foxed and btw you are the leader of all around you !!! Think About That !!
May 19th, 2021 at 8:44 pm
Every NFL team has ONE objective each season: WIN THE SUPER BOWL. Bucs are the reigning champion so that means 31 other teams will be working their butts off to unseat them.
Much of these workouts is voluntary, and the players are well within their rights to say ‘No thank you’. The Bucs have the most talented TEAM right now in the NFL, but that won’t mean diddly if they don’t put in the hard work necessary to harness all that talent again this year.
But Carlton, don’t be using COVID as an excuse not to practice. Millions of hard-working Americans making far less than you are have been going to work every day during this entire pandemic. NFL teams have bent over backwards to keep players safe from what I can see. Got a feeling that you’re probably safer training at the Bucs’ facility than you are training at your local gym.
May 19th, 2021 at 8:50 pm
They’re not talking about PLAYER safety. They’re talking about keeping their FAMILIES safe. You can’t blame anyone for their choice, whatever your beliefs are. With the double mutation coming out of India, I won’t be surprised to see the trend of cases going up again.
Don’t mean to be a downer, but virology only works one way. And there are too many stories of people getting Rona AFTER getting both shots. That’s why they say none of the vaccines have 100% efficacy. And the vaccine was designed for the original Rona, not the mutations.
May 19th, 2021 at 9:17 pm
Some of u are truly idiots. Calling these players uneducated because they care for their families safety. Shame on them for not shutting up and dribble. F@ck you!!!! People are still dying AFTER being vaccinated. Plus there are variants out there or did not read about that? Its not a one size fits all scenario clowns. Plus the virus affects minorities worse for various reason but sure be mad because these players put their families well being as part of their decision making process. Go ahead and call them uneducated because they choose not to parrot and go along with what the non scientist at fox news spew. Some of u are a piece of work and i dont mean that in a good way. You cry about your rights when asked to wear a mask but wont allow these players to exercise their rights to remain safe. Smdh
May 19th, 2021 at 9:35 pm
They need to practice and not take for granted that they will win games without OTA s
May 19th, 2021 at 9:37 pm
Get the shot. Can’t understand why that’s so hard. If you believe in gene therapy, why not the shot? If you believe in antivirals, why not the shot. We wiped out polio until the antivaxers got social media accounts.
May 20th, 2021 at 12:42 am
I like what he said. Worked last season it can work again.
May 20th, 2021 at 1:37 am
No spring practice last year and we won the superbowl, so I can’t argue with the results. I don’t think that it’s all about the “sickness” though. I believe that the NFLPA is trying to flex whatever muscle it has, just because it can. Although, maybe it’s laying the groundwork to get rid of preseason games or limit them to one or two in exchange for an 18th regular season game?
Regardless, if the league wants the players to attend spring practice then make it mandatory. Until then, I am with the players.
May 20th, 2021 at 7:50 am
@webster: it does not affect minorities because they are minorities. It affects humans with a BMI>41 disproportionally, which happens to also include some minorities disproportionally.
Old and fat with another co-morbitity—seriously obese comes with diabetes and all manner of C-V diseases—is bad juju for surviving the Wuhan bio-weapon.
I *may* consider “the shot” after long-term studies prove minimal side effects and the various experimental cocktails/gene therapies go through proper FDA approval processes.
Until then, treatments show better effectiveness than “the shot” shows prevention.
May 20th, 2021 at 7:56 am
The freaking workouts are VOLUNTARY this is a nonissue.
May 20th, 2021 at 8:03 am
Webster one of the HUGE problems facing this country is “educated@ people especially young that believe a diploma somehow translates to superior intelligence and decision making. These players are in a demographic, age , physical condition that virtually eliminates them from the at risk for complications from the coronavirus, complications is the key word for both “ educated and uneducated. Layer in being vaccinated and these players have No excuse other than “man never landed on the moon “ decision making.
Cobra it disagree with your statement that 1,000 of vaccinated have been infected with coronavirus.
May 20th, 2021 at 8:14 am
Webster I just finished reading your post, besides being wrong about #3 you are wrong about most of what you posted, Loinfomofo
May 20th, 2021 at 8:37 am
It’s not a vaccine. It doesn’t prevent you from getting the virus. It doesn’t give immunity. It doesn’t stop you from spreading the virus. It won’t attack covid variants.
It’s experimental gene therapy (mRNA) that programs cells DNA to create spike protein to create t-cells to attack spike protein. Specific spike protein, not variants.
I am not anti-vax. I am anti-Covid vax. Why do I need an experimental gene therapy for a disease with a 99.97% survival rate, especially since I most likely had Covid in December?
Besides, it is estimated that 81% of the US population has broad T-cell immunity, to begin with. That doesn’t happen without exposure, so I’m not so sure this virus is “novel” just because “public health” bureaucrats say it is.
May 20th, 2021 at 8:49 am
@SB~LV: some scientists, including a top Yale epidemiologist, claim that 60% of new covid cases are from vaxxed peeps.
There are numerous peer-reviewed studies out there that throw cold water, if not caution, on these “vaccines,” yet are ignored by the MSM.
May 20th, 2021 at 8:52 am
Imagine a vaccine so safe people need to be coerced into taking it, to protect against a disease so deadly you need to be tested to see if you have it.
Just sayin’…
May 20th, 2021 at 8:57 am
Lol wow it’s voluntary work outs not a big deal calm down with the politics it will be ok breathe
May 20th, 2021 at 9:02 am
while I do not like the COVID BS that is being spewed by our Buc players, in addition to the fact that the players for teams that WANT to win, Patriots, Cowgirls, etc, ARE SHOWING UP for voluntary practices, let us all remember, our Bucs played an extra month of football these teams did not play.
BA seems to be good with the players decision. It must make him crazy, but it may work out best for our Bucs to have the extra time off since we played a month longer than usual so the players can fully recover. And we have some old vets, like Brady, JPP, Suh, David and Gronk. Maybe this works out in our favor.
May 20th, 2021 at 9:41 am
People can argue that we had only a virtual offseason last year and we ended in Super Bowl victory… ummmm . Nobody had an offseason… somebody had to win it so that proves nothing. If we don’t repeat and a team that decided to hold regular offseason activities wins it all… then we’ll know the answer.
May 20th, 2021 at 10:03 am
Cobra, your head has been filled with complete horseshyte. You obviously haven’t done any checking your assertions. The Covid vaccines are vaccines. Look up the definition of vaccines. As to whether they’re experimental — mRNA technology has been in development a long time. The Pfizer vaccine will likely receive full FDA approval soon. The vaccines have been very effective at curbing Covid spread… and the reason why so many people are resistant to getting vaxxed? Boobs like you dispensing lies and disinformation.
May 20th, 2021 at 11:12 am
No, windbaggery, my head is full of advanced edumacation, highly-honed critical thinking skills, and a couple of decades of making my bones in the high tech clinical world in the last ” epidemic” which wasn’t, HIV-AIDS.
I don’t fall for crap from “public health officials” because they tend to lie for political teasons. I sat in two meetings with Dr. Fauci when he lied to our face about HIV-AIDS, and how it can be transferred on doorknobs and handshakes, and how it’s really a hetero disease with no evidence anal sex has anything to do with it, a position he has never apologized for. He suggested all our clinical personnell in contact with an AIDS patient completely rig up in protective gear, etc
I read the studies, and thus far my facts-based opinions have proven to be 100% correct.
You can call the EGT ” vaccines”, but functionally they are not. They do NOT create immunity of any sort, and there are ZERO studies of long term effects.
I will “follow the science” when there is some all pointing in the same direction.
But if you want to be a guinea pig in the largest medical study in history, go ahead.
BTW: you deserve a medal for the most appropriate handle in JBF history. Well named, Loyal Comrade!
May 20th, 2021 at 3:02 pm
@cobraboy,
It’s a vaccine. It creates immunity. It has been effective and shown safe. Now that hundreds of millions of doses have been delivered, with very little negative effect, can we stop with the scare tactics?
Also, please explain how they are not vaccines. They create an immune response. If they did not, there would be no reason to give the shots, unless you believe it’s to install a tracking chip for Bill Gates.
May 20th, 2021 at 3:19 pm
Ot,Hey do NOT create immunity. Sheesh…
At BEST, they lower symptomatic thresholds. Like your immune system already does.
May 20th, 2021 at 4:32 pm
@cobraboy,
Please provide your sources… because all the information I see from credible sources says the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines create immunity for 90+% of vaccinated people. Is the rest of the world misinformed, but you have special information?
May 20th, 2021 at 6:22 pm
Still waiting for sources.
May 20th, 2021 at 8:04 pm
No sources provided. Have to assume you’re dispensing propaganda.
May 20th, 2021 at 8:12 pm
@sb
Im not wrong. U have reading comprehension issues i see. 1st off as i stated these players have the right to care about the well being of their families. Read the story of the family who parents both got the vaccine but their 4 year old child died of covid while on vacation when they went to hawaii. You continue to post as if healthy 20-30 year old somethings that were healthy have not died from covid as well. Covid affects everybody differently. I have a friend who has a 90 year old grandmother with underlying conditions who got hospitalized with covid who survived. While a young mother of 3 age 28 died when she contracted it. The point is some people dont want to take the chance if they dont have too and you nor I should hold that against them.
May 20th, 2021 at 8:18 pm
Cobra
It does affect minorities more because minorities in this country has not had access to healthcare in this country for various reasons. Sure anyone anyone with cancer or diabetes are vulnerable but make no mistake minorities were more at risk and that is not my idea but the medical profession has said so. I too have had 3 family members die from it so dont bring that to me.