The NFL and NFLPA finalized the rules surrounding the withdrawal protocol for the 2020 season earlier this week, as players decide to risk playing football during a pandemic. The deal established a firm deadline of 4 p.m. ET Thursday, which has now come and gone. From there, players will only have the option of opting out if “a close family member becomes seriously ill with COVID or is diagnosed with a high-risk illness themselves.” by the NFLPA.
There were two types of opt-out options. Players who qualify as having a high risk condition will receive a stipend of $ 350,000 which does not count as a salary advance, their contracts will pay off, and they will earn an accumulated season towards a free agency. Those not considered high risk can choose the voluntary opt-out option, which includes a salary advance of $ 150,000 for the 2021 season and a contract toll, but no accumulated season credit.
Five players were added to the unsubscribe list on Thursday: Jets WR Josh Doctson, OT Chiefs Lucas Niang, Bucs OT Brad Seaton, Jaguars CB Rashaan Melvin and Browns G Malcolm Pridgeon. You can also find the full list of players who retired from 2020 broken down by team in our tracker.
Below you can keep up to date with the latest news from the deadline.
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