NFL ready to begin training camps and upcoming season after collective bargaining agreement changes agreed
Saturday 25 July 2020 19:16, UK
Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif has become the first player to opt out of the restart of the NFL season.
Duvernay-Tardif, 29, earned a medical school degree from McGill University in 2018 and has worked during the offseason as an orderly at a long-term care facility.
The decision means Duvernay-Tardif will make $150,000 from the NFL's opt-out deal instead of the $2.75m that he had been slated to earn, according to ESPN.
The six-year veteran, who started 14 games at right guard for the Super Bowl champion Chiefs last season, said he would continue to work at the long-term care facility in Montreal during the NFL season.
"This is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make in my life but I must follow my convictions and do what I believe is right for me personally," Duvernay-Tardif wrote on his Twitter page.
"Being at the frontline during this offseason has given me a different perspective on this pandemic and the stress it puts on individuals and our healthcare system.
"I cannot allow myself to potentially transmit the virus in our communities simply to play the sport that I love. If I am to take risks, I will do it caring for patients.
"I want to thank everyone in the Kansas City Chiefs organization for their support and understanding."
The NFL and its players' union have agreed on changes to the 2020 collective bargaining agreement, clearing the way for training camp and the upcoming season.
Training camps are set to open for all players on July 28, with the season opener slated for September 10, as the league, players and teams across the country adopt health and safety protocols designed to reduce the risk of playing amid the coronavirus outbreak.
"We have worked collaboratively to develop a comprehensive set of protocols designed to minimize risk for fans, players, and club and league personnel," Commissioner Roger Goodell said.
"The season will undoubtedly present new and additional challenges, but we are committed to playing a safe and complete 2020 season, culminating with the Super Bowl."
Goodell said that the NFL and NFLPA's medical directors "guided" the plans, which received the endorsement of the CDC, as well as state and local health officials.
Teams have already begun limiting the number of attendees allowed in stadiums on game days, with some teams including the New York Giants and New York Jets precluded from having any fans in attendance at all, in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
