‘Opting Out’ Will Be a Costly Move for NFL Players This Season
NFL players will have a very tough decision to make ahead of this year's NFL season.
Per a memo sent by the National Football League that was picked up by the Associated Press and published by the folks at News 10, players who voluntarily choose to opt-out of the 2021 NFL season will not receive any cost-of-living stipend.
The memo went on to say that players considered "high-risk" would still receive a stipend, a check totaling $350,000. Players who were not high-risk, but still chose this route last season received $150,000 from the NFL, but will not be able to bank on that check this season.
This presents a precarious situation for some NFL players, especially those like Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley, who has been vocal about his disdain for the vaccine, and his subsequent problems with how non-vaccinated players will be treated this upcoming season. Young players who have not made a lot of money, or players who play the non-glamorous positions, will generally be in the position of deciding if they have enough money to live on, if they choose not to play.
All of that being said, I cannot blame the NFL for making this decision.
It is absolutely a player's right to choose not to play their sport this season. It is also absolutely a player's right to choose not to get the vaccine. That said, for both scenarios, there are rules in place for regular human beings who make these decisions, so why shouldn't those rules apply to professional athletes, too?
KEEP READING: See how sports around the world have been impacted by the coronavirus
More From 104.5 THE TEAM
