Just play, baby.

That has become the football rallying cry for 2020, at all levels.

Butler County high school teams have certainly felt the pinch this season. Seneca Valley was unable to play its season opener against North Allegheny. Freeport did not play for two consecutive Fridays. Butler missed out on its rematch at McDowell.

All of the above because of COVID-19 concerns.

If not for the quick work of the coaching staff and athletic director, the Golden Tornado would have sat idle for consecutive weeks. But since New Castle has COVID concerns of its own, Blackhawk was unable to play there Friday.

So the Cougars came to Butler.

Why not?

Just play, baby.

On the college front, Alabama coach Nick Saban and the school’s athletic director tested positive for COVID on Wednesday. The top-ranked Crimson Tide are scheduled to play No. 3 Georgia Saturday.

The game will go on. Saban won’t be there, but his team will be.

Just play, baby.

The Big Ten, PAC-10, Mountain West and Mid-American Conference all decided to pass on playing football this fall — back in the summer. Now they’re all joining the party late.

Better late than never.

Just play, baby.

The NFL hasn’t had many fans in many places so far this season, but that doesn’t matter. The league is finding ways to get the games on the field.

Even if it meant no game last Thursday because the league had a Tuesday game for only the second time in 70 years.

The NFL hasn’t approached midseason yet and has already had 10 teams — the Steelers, Titans, Patriots, Broncos, Bills, Dolphins, Chargers, Chiefs, Jaguars and Jets — endure altered schedules and bye weeks, in some cases.

It’s all for the greater good.

Three months ago, I thought college football would definitely not play, high school football was in serious jeopardy and the NFL was headed for some sort of bubble set-up.

Wrong on all fronts.

Games have gone on. Playoffs will take place. Football fans — and that is many of us — are receiving our weekend respites from this pandemic that has thrown our worlds for a loop.

We can enjoy a brilliant catch, emotional win, curse a questionable hit, second-guess a play-call.

A touch of normalcy.

Just play, baby.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle