Gary Sheffield, Jr
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We saw plenty of NFL players opt out last year, and now NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith says he wants that option available to players again in 2021. Just a few weeks ago, numerous teams decided against offseason workouts, and now this.
Here’s what NFLPA president and Browns center J.C. Tretter said about the union’s position on boycotting OTAs:
“This is not a 2021 offseason issue. This will be an issue year after year,” he said.
2021 NFL Draft complicated by COVID-19 opt-outs https://t.co/q4E0pI0LeM pic.twitter.com/pryOy3tpCP
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) April 26, 2021
We at OutKick have always insisted that players who feel threatened by COVID should exercise their right to the vaccine and that all players with a documented medical condition should have the legal authority to protect themselves free of consequence. Otherwise, we should see them on the field for OTAs. Pretty simple process there.
As of now, the negotiations aren’t exactly clear. Are they positioning themselves for the legal authority to opt out any season they please? At some point, we have to remember who’s working for whom here.
Also, I can’t see how boycotting a voluntary workout is impactful for negotiations with the owners. Players don’t want to show up? Then we can assume that owners will counter by finding their replacements.
DBAP. Show up for work or get fired.
At least the NFL isn’t talking like the NBA where a superstar decides he doesn’t wanna play for a week or so. Mental health week off, etc.
If pro football ever decides that players can take a week off, well lemme just say…Vegas would not be happy…and bettors…whooooeeeeeee.
Anyone opting out of anything at this point, it has nothing to actually do with COVID.
For real, this is just union posturing. If you didn’t opt out in 2020, why in the hell would you opt out in 2021?
“What you’ll get from me is a player who eats, sleeps, and breathes this game…next year.”
NFLPA taking its cues from teachers unions apparently.
what we need to make this even more lame is ‘in game’ opt outs.
Vegas would love it.
player: ‘coach i’m feeling symptoms, so i dropped that in interception’.
coach: ‘thats ok dude. your health is why we play’
maybe time for an nfl all girls league now.
Kyrie Irving wakes up. decides he doesn’t want to play and tells Steve Nash he is going to opt out of the next 3 games. The Brooklyn Nets management is so laden with white guilt that they go along with it.
Hopefully that stupid scenario doesn’t repeat itself in the NFL
The slow roll towards NBA type ratings, you can do it NFL!
I bet the nfl has more CNN watchers than the average population sample size.
Teams aren’t going to have spring workouts and will probably a greatly reduced pre-season camp along with starting a 17 game schedule.
One top of that, teams will still expect season ticket holders to pay the full price for seats this year. The product has diminished over the last two seasons. The decline will continue this season as well.