"If safety is something that could be breached I don't think there is much good business putting players and families in harm's way."
Tuesday 5 May 2020 12:03, UK
Safety is paramount in the eyes of Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo as the NFL continues to plan for the 2020 season.
It remains to be seen whether the league will proceed with its September start amid social distancing measures in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The NFL is set to release the new season schedule at 1am UK time on Friday April 8 after it was announced on Monday that the five International Series games would be played in the United States in order to protect the well-being of players, personnel and fans.
Four games had been due to take place in London and one in Mexico, with Lambo's Jaguars down to play consecutive games at Wembley Stadium.
"It's difficult because you're not in the building with everybody, you aren't having those conversations all the time," Lambo told Sky Sports News. "I just get paid to kick the ball, I'm going to leave the speculation and everything to the professionals.
"First and foremost I think safety is of the utmost importance. If safety is something that could be breached I don't think there is much good business putting players and families in harm's way.
"Because it's not just the players, they go home to their kids and some people take care of their parents who are older. Safety needs to come first.
"I guess I can't speak for anybody else, that's my personal belief. I'm going to trust the experts."
As part of the JagTag initiative, Lambo and teammates Dede Westbrook and D.J. Chark have been posting exercise videos on social media twice a week in a bid to keep UK school kids active while in lockdown.
Their videos have reached 78,000 children across the nation and consist of warm-up routines followed by explosive movement and core workouts.
"I was excited when the opportunity arose," added Lambo.
"It's been fun, the best part about being a professional athlete is the platform that it brings. If I was something else maybe back in my hometown people wouldn't be flocking to social media to try and see how to stay fit in this time, so the fact I have that platform is really special and important to me and I never want to take it for granted. I always want to use it to the best of my ability.
"The body and a healthy mind is so important right now, because there are so many external factors, so many things you can't control going on in the world right now.
"Even if you're at home, even if you don't have workout equipment you have a choice to improve those parts of your life. I think that's important."
JagTag is a simplified version of American Football introduced by the Jaguars and made suitable for children of all abilities. It is designed to teach them the basics of throwing, catching, evading and defending, offering room for progress as players gain more experience.
