Herschel Walker says not playing college football 'a political decision,' athletes safer on campus
The football legend says players should decide if they want to play
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}College football conferences postponing or canceling this season because of the coronavirus are making a "political decision," former Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker said Saturday.
"You look at the areas where they decided to play football and the areas that they're not going to play football... and I think it's a political decision because these young men are tested twice a day," Walker said.on Fox News' "Justice with Judge Jeanine."
"These young men are scanned before they even go to practice. And I said, you know, the health of these young men is under scrutiny by some of the best, best professional doctors out there. And they end up taken care of."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SEC FOOTBALL COACHES REPORTEDLY FRUSTRATED WITH CROSS-DIVISIONAL GAMES: 'FAVORITISM WAS PLAYED'
Conferences including the Big Ten, Pac-12, Big East, Mountain West and Mid-American Conferences have already postponed their fall sports schedules.
Earlier in the week, President Trump gave his support for college players who expressed their desire to play football this season amid the coronavirus outbreak that is still plaguing the U.S.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence is among the leaders of the #WeWantToPlay movement, which is calling on conferences and colleges to not cancel their seasons.
Walker, 58, played collegiately for the Georgia Bulldogs, winning the Heisman in 1982. He then played professionally in the short-lived USFL as well as the NFL. On Saturday night, he made the case that some athletes who have tested positive may have not if they were on campus.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I feel that you, if they're not in school, where are they going to be at? They're going to be at home. And if you look you know, some players from Oklahoma came back to school and they tested positive for the virus," Walker said. "Well, if they were at schools, that may not have never happened."
The former running back for the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants also said players should be able to decide for themselves whether to play or not.
"Ask the players, see what the players [would] like to do. ... If they don't want to play, they can opt out," Walker said. "And I think it's their decision."
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.