The NFL is still preparing as if there is going to be a season. But if they do manage to come back, it looks like the league is going to be missing a good number of its players.
While Adam Silver is looking like a genius so far because the NBA bubble is working, the MLB and NFL are still trying to figure out this playing sports during a global pandemic thing. Major League Baseball’s season stumbled out the game due to 18 players on the Miami Marlins contracting COVID-19 resulting in the league telling the team to chill for a couple of days. Teams in the National Football League are set to open training camps while it looks like all systems are go, players have been opting out left and right.
The NFL and the NFL Player’s Association both agreed on a plan that would allow players to say nah I’m good if they were comfortable with the league’s health protocols put in place to protect them from COVID-19. Players that fall under the high-risk category could opt-out and receive a $350,000 stipend while those who are not, receive a $150,000 stipend. If there happens to be a situation where a member of the player’s family who contracts the virus during the season, that player can opt-out during play as well. The player must provide written notice of their decision to opt-out if they decide to take the league up on its offer. Once it is handed in, the letter will be irrevocable.
Sunday (Jul.26), it was reported that the Kansas City Chiefs offensive guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif was the first player to opt-out ESPN’s Adam Schefter said. Duvernay-Tardif is the first NFL player to graduate from medical school and has been helping in the fight against COVID-19 in his native country of Canada during the offseason.
Once he made his announcement, a wave of other players began opting-out of the 2020-21 NFL season as well with the New England Patriots leading the way with the most players saying nah to playing this year. It will be something if one of the league’s superstars, like a Russell Wilson who just welcomed a brand new addition to his family, decides not to suit up this year.
Here are all the players so far that have decided not to play so…far.
Chicago Bears
DT Eddie Goldman
Buffalo Bills
DL Star Lotulelei
Denver Broncos
DL Kyle Peko
Cleveland Browns
OT Drake Dorbeck
OG Drew Forbes
Kansas City Chiefs
OG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
RB Damien Williams
Dallas Cowboys
WR Stephen Guidry
CB Maurice Canady
Philadelphia Eagles
WR Marquise Goodwin
New York Giants
OT Nate Solder
New York Jets
OL Leo Koloamatangi
Detroit Lions
DL John Atkins
Green Bay Packers
WR Devin Funchess
Carolina Panthers
LB Jordan Mack
New England Patriots
S Patrick Chung
LB Dont’a Hightower
OT Marcus Cannon
RB Brandon Bolden
FB Danny Vitale
OL Najee Toran
Baltimore Ravens
OT Andre Smith
WR De’Anthony Thomas
New Orleans Saints
TE Cole Wick
TE Jason Vander Laan
Seattle Seahawks
OG Chance Warmack
Houston Texans
DL Eddie Vanderdoes
Tenessee Titans
OT Anthony McKinney
Minnesota Vikings
DL Michael Pierce
Washington Football Team
DL Caleb Brantley
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