Under the amended collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFL Players Association, agreed to on July 24, players have the choice to opt out of the 2020 NFL season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
If a player wished to opt out, he must have provided his club with written notification by August 6 at 4 p.m. ET.
A player can still opt out later if one of the following applies: if that player gets a new diagnosis that he has a high-risk condition; or if a player's family member dies, is hospitalized or otherwise moves to a medical facility because of COVID-19 or related condition.
To be designated a voluntary opt-out, a player must be under contract or subject to a tender. The player's contract will toll and all provisions of that contract for the tolled year will be applicable the following season; however, he will not receive an accrued season. The player will be eligible for a stipend of $150,000 to be treated as a salary advance against his tolled contract; an undrafted free agent, however, is not eligible for the stipend.
To be designated a higher-risk opt-out, a player must have a diagnosis reflected in their medical records of at least one of the following factors, which are based upon a modified list of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) risk factors list: cancer; chronic kidney disease; COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease); immunocompromised state from solid organ transplant; serious heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies; sickle cell disease; type 2 diabetes mellitus; asthma; cerebrovascular disease; cystic fibrosis; hypertension or high blood pressure; immunocompromised state from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines; neurologic conditions, such as dementia; liver disease; or pulmonary fibrosis.
It is not mandatory for a "higher risk" player to opt out. A higher-risk opt-out will receive an accrued season toward free agency and all benefits and minimum salary credit for a credited season and is also eligible for a stipend of $350,000, which will not constitute a salary advance.
Here are the NFL players to opt out of the 2020 season so far:
VOLUNTARY OPT-OUTS
Baltimore Ravens: KR De'Anthony Thomas, OL Andre Smith
Buffalo Bills: DT Star Lotulelei, CB E.J. Gaines
Dallas Cowboys: CB Maurice Canady, WR Stephen Guidry
Green Bay Packers: WR Devin Funchess
Houston Texans: DT Eddie Vanderdoes
Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Lerentee McCray, CB Rashaan Melvin
Kansas City Chiefs: OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
Miami Dolphins: WR Allen Hurns, WR Albert Wilson
New England Patriots: LB Dont'a Hightower, FB Dan Vitale, RB Brandon Bolden, OL Najee Toran, WR Marqise Lee
Philadelphia Eagles: WR Marquise Goodwin
San Francisco 49ers: WR Travis Benjamin
Seattle Seahawks: OL Chance Warmack
Tennessee Titans: OL Anthony McKinney
HIGHER RISK OPT-OUTS
Arizona Cardinals: OL Marcus Gilbert
Carolina Panthers: LB Christian Miller
Cleveland Browns: OL Colby Gossett
Los Angeles Rams: OT Chandler Brewer
Minnesota Vikings: DT Michael Pierce
New England Patriots: OL Marcus Cannon
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OT Brad Seaton
Washington Football Team: DE Caleb Brantley
UNSPECIFIED OPT-OUTS
Carolina Panthers: LB Jordan Mack
Chicago Bears: DT Eddie Goldman, S Jordan Lucas
Cincinnati Bengals: DT Josh Tupou, OT Isaiah Prince
Cleveland Browns: G Drew Forbes, T Drake Dorbeck, DT Andrew Billings, G Malcolm Pridgeon
Dallas Cowboys: FB Jamize Olawale
Denver Broncos: DT Kyle Peko, RT Ja'Wuan James
Detroit Lions: DT John Atkins, WR Geronimo Allison, C Russell Bodine
Indianapolis Colts: LB Skai Moore, DB Rolan Milligan, DB Marvell Tell
Jacksonville Jaguars: DT Al Woods
Kansas City Chiefs: RB Damien Williams, OT Lucas Niang
Las Vegas Raiders: DB D.J. Killings, DE Jeremiah Valoaga, LB Ukeme Eligwe
New England Patriots: S Patrick Chung, TE Matt LaCosse
New Orleans Saints: TE Jason Vander Laan, TE Cole Wick
New York Giants: OL Nate Solder, WR Da'Mari Scott, CB Sam Beal
New York Jets: OL Leo Koloamatangi, LB C.J. Mosley, WR Josh Doctson
San Francisco 49ers: OL Shon Coleman, OL Jake Brendel
Washington Football Team: LB Josh Harvey-Clemons
