Saints' Malcolm Jenkins: 'Non-essential' NFL should play only if risk is 'eliminated'

The NFL seems determined for its season to go on without a hitch despite the global pandemic but Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins expressed his skepticism about the season being played.

"The NBA is a lot different than the NFL," Jenkins told CNN. "They can actually quarantine all of their players, or whoever is going to participate, whereas we have over 2,000 players; and even more coaches and staff who can't do that. So we end up being on this trust system — the honor system — where we just have to hope that guys are social distancing and things like that, and that puts all of us at risk. That's not only us as players, and whoever's in the building, but when we go home to families."

While the NBA is planning to have a 'bubble' for its resumed season, the size of NFL teams makes that concept much more difficult. Additionally, the NFL has given no indication that it is willing to have games played without fans, despite the obvious risk of having thousands of people gathered in a single space. Until there's a clear solution, Jenkins is unsure if he's willing to play.

"I have parents that I don't want to get sick," Jenkins explained. "I think until we get to the point where we have protocols in place, and until we get to a place as a country where we feel safe doing it — we have to understand that football is a non-essential business. We don't need to do it. So the risk has to be eliminated before we — before I would feel comfortable with going back."