:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67144228/120372822.jpg.0.jpg)
The NFL, like all other professional sports leagues, has given their players the chance to opt-out of the upcoming season due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic which has kept a tight grip on the world since mid March.
Players around the league have been opting out over the last month, you can keep track of all players who have decided to sit out the 2020 season in our updated tracker HERE, but the NFL is ready to set a deadline for players to make a decision.
And it seems as if players will have to make the decision sooner, rather than later. This from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Opt-out deadline for NFL players is now expected to be moved up to either Tuesday or Wednesday, per league sources, depending on talks this weekend. NFL is pushing to move up the deadline from one week after the new CBA side-letter is signed, and it now is expected even sooner.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 1, 2020
Some players might have thought they had more time to make a final decision and weigh their options, but once the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) letter is signed, the owners want to know as early as Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.
Count coaches also as personnel who want to know as soon as possible whether their players will be opting out, or sticking it out in 2020. With no preseason games, coaches working with players will be at a premium, and knowing who will be in for the long haul will be key.
As for the Steelers, they have yet to have any of their players opt out for the upcoming season, but that can change as the deadline approaches. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black-and-gold as they prepare for the upcoming 2020 regular season.