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Some good news has come down as we approach the start of the 2021 NFL season concerning the league’s players and COVID-19.
No NFL players are believed to have opted out of the 2021 season, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 6, 2021
The deadline to inform clubs was Friday and no such transactions were submitted for today’s personnel notice after the holiday weekend.
According to Close, Personal Friend of The Daily Norseman Tom Pelissero™, no players have opted out of the 2021 season due to concerns over the virus. The deadline for players to opt out was this past Friday, and apparently nobody jumped at the opportunity. This is a very positive sign with teams making their preparations for Training Camp starting in a couple of weeks.
The Minnesota Vikings had just one opt-out last season, but it was a very significant one as nose tackle Michael Pierce chose to sit out what would have been his first season in Minnesota after signing a three-year deal. Pierce has asthma, which made him a “high-risk” player under the NFL’s rules, allowing him to sit out the season and collect a (comparatively) small stipend. His contract has rolled over and he is now signed with the Vikings through 2023.
There were some rumblings that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers could have opted out of this season as a part of his standoff with the Packers’ front office but. . .come on. That was never going to happen, and it didn’t.
So, with teams reporting for Training Camp in just a couple of weeks, every team in the NFL is going to have their full complement of players ready to go for what should be a great season. Hooray!