Fox News Flash top headlines for July 29
Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.
Drew Brees is trying to ween himself off a pre-snap ritual he has been doing for years: licking his fingers.
Hygiene is going to be a huge factor in the NFL when the season begins, and Brees knows that. He told ESPN in a story published Wednesday that licking his fingers has been a part of his routine before snapping the football, so he is training how not to do that.
RAIDERS' HEAD COACH JON GRUDEN BELIEVES THIS WILL BE THE NFL'S 'TOUGHEST OPPONENT'
“The whole point is to help give your hands a little tackiness so you get better grip on the ball,” the New Orleans Saints quarterback said. “I've actually been thinking about it a lot lately as I've started throwing again. Trying to avoid it, but it has been so habitual for so long. You don't realize how much you touch your face and lick your fingers until COVID hit.”
Ryan Harris, a former offensive lineman who won a Super Bowl, told ESPN he thought finger-licking was gross — even before the pandemic.
NFL PLAYERS WHO HAVE OPTED OUT OF PLAYING THE 2020 SEASON OVER CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS
“It's so gross, even when there isn't COVID,” he said. “And just look where he puts his hands the play before, the play after, and the play he's running when he licks his fingers. Do the math. Honestly, there are a lot of every-day, don't-give-it-a-second-thought things people are going to have to give a second thought about.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The NFL hasn’t released specific guidelines against spitting or hand-licking yet. The NBA and MLB have already prohibited those things going into their pandemic-shortened seasons.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.