USC football players write letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom advocating for fall season


Junior wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was the first USC football player to tweet the letter asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to work toward a fall Pac-12 football season. (Daily Trojan file photo)

USC football players shared a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom Tuesday asking him to move toward allowing a fall football season in the Pac-12 Conference.

The letter, signed “The USC Football Players,” states the group believes “science and technology have turned in favor of playing,” due to developments after the Pac-12 postponed all fall sports in August. It cited the Pac-12’s partnership with Quidel Corporation to pilot a daily antigen testing system guaranteeing test results within an hour and promising a significant infection curb.

“As California goes, so too does the Pac-12 Conference,” the letter read. “We believe that if the state of California endorses our season, the conference, other states, respective county public health officials and university leaders will follow.”

The letter also referenced other college football conferences, such as the ACC, as well as the NFL beginning their seasons last weekend and asked why the Pac-12 cannot do the same. 

Junior wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was the first to tweet the letter, telling Newsom that “we want a chance.” Sophomore quarterback Kedon Slovis followed to add a message of his own.

“Most schools have a fraction of the resources that our school and conference have provided to play safely,” Slovis tweeted to Newsom with the letter. “You are the only thing holding us back.”

Head coach Clay Helton also tweeted his support of his players’ voices, and offensive coordinator Graham Harrell quote-tweeted Slovis’ message with one of his own, praising his team’s work ethic despite the postponement of the season and advocating for an opportunity to play.

The letter stated there are excessive restrictions, both at the state and local level, that limit practice and competition — among them, USC cannot practice in groups of more than 12 or use indoor facilities. 

On Aug. 26, the Trojan football and water polo teams had to pause workouts for 13 days after nine student-athletes tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Pac-12 joined the Big 10 as the only Power 5 conferences to postpone fall seasons due to concerns over testing availability and safety.

The USC Football Players’ letter addressed the #WeAreUnited Players’ Tribune letter published Aug. 2 by Pac-12 players, claiming that the movement did not reflect players wanting to opt out of the season but rather that players wanted health and safety to drive the conference’s decisions.

“We respect the careful and cautious approach you have taken to college athletics, and we have the utmost confidence that we can partner together to quickly develop a plan that allows us to compete in a 2020 fall football season,” the letter read. “Let’s find a way to say ‘yes!’ Please let us play.”