Last night, August 12th, Florida State senior wide receiver DJ Matthews tweeted that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Just as the media started to react, he deleted the tweet.
#FSU WR DJ Matthews tweets, then deletes, he tested positive for COVID-19: https://t.co/kcdGKgyfU4
— Tomahawk Nation (@TomahawkNation) August 13, 2020
Sophomore wide receiver Warren Thompson released a letter this morning, August 13th, on Twitter detailing the unsanitary conditions surrounding the program, and that the Florida State leadership “is based off an ‘I’ mentality with them worried about their own future rather than their own athletes.”
— UNO.UNO🦅 (@Warrenj11__) August 13, 2020
The claims are straight off of the heels of DJ Matthews being the first college football player to announce that he had tested positive for COVID, and a day after the ACC announced that the league would plan to play football this season.
Coach Mike Norvell came under fire back in June, shortly after the murder of George Floyd, for his story to the media where he claimed he reached out to his players to speak with them about racial injustice. Star defensive tackle, Marvin Wilson, claimed that it was not true and the team sat out a day or two in practices. Wilson and the team patched it up with Norvell shortly thereafter.
Players refute these claims
Now, other players are speaking up regarding the protocols that Florida State is carrying out. Among them are Wilson and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.
I feel safe with what @FSUFootball is doing for us through this pandemic and keeping us safe 💯. Let’s play some football
— HEAD HUNCHO💧 (@marvinwilson21) August 13, 2020
I feel safe coming to practice everyday because of the protocols FSU has in place !!!
— ASANTE SAMUEL Ⓜ️ (@godschild3_) August 13, 2020
You guys can come here and check for yourself.. the FSU Athletic training staff has been doing everything in their power to keep us SAFE! They respected those who chose not to play this year for their safety. But what we can NOT do is let their efforts go unnoticed! Thank you 🙏🏾
— ϟ THOR ϟ (@JaidenWoodbey) August 13, 2020
Warren Thompson was probably promised early playing time by the previous staffs. He was recruited to Florida State by Willie Taggart and now has a new head coach with tensions already mounting in the locker room.