The commissioner of the Canadian Football League, Randy Ambrosie, issued a letter to fans Thursday about the importance of teamwork and the strength of community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The letter read as follows:

Dear CFL Fans,

We hope this note finds you and your family well. This is tough. But if we work as a team, we can stop the spread of this virus and we’ll get through this new abnormal.

In this fight, we are the offensive linemen, and our great nurses and doctors are the quarterbacks. If we do our job, and stop this thing from spreading, we give them time and a fighting chance to do their jobs and treat this illness.

Thank you to all the health care workers doing such selfless and heroic work.

And thank you to everyone striving to do the right things.

I know we’ve all heard it a thousand times. But please, wash your hands, stay home, practice social distancing and disinfect surfaces and handles in your home.

Let’s support each other. We can use social media to stay connected. Showing we care about one another can make us all feel less alone or anxious.

At the CFL, we’re listening to public health officials, consulting medical experts and trying, as best as we can, to think through what the future may look like on the other side of this crisis.

But all that really matters now is that you are safe and healthy and we are all doing what we can to protect ourselves and one another.

We’re thinking of you. We love our fans and look forward to when we can all come together again to watch our great game.

I believe in football because it harnesses the power of teamwork. I believe in our ability to get through this because I know we will work together, even when physically apart.

Thank you.

Randy Ambrosie

Commissioner

Canadian Football League