68 players opt out of 2020 NFL season as deadline passes
A total of 68 NFL players decided to sit out the 2020 season before Thursday's 4 p.m. ET opt-out deadline.
Kansas City Chiefs guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif was the first player to opt out of the upcoming season on the same day the NFLPA approved the league's return-to-play plan.
Plenty of players have followed his lead, including Duvernay-Tardif's teammate and Super Bowl LIV hero Damien Williams, who decided not to play to protect his mother amid her cancer battle; New York Jets Pro Bowler C.J. Mosley; and New York Giants left tackle Nate Solder.
The New England Patriots have been the hardest-hit team, with eight players deciding not to play, including longtime defensive standouts Dont'a Hightower and Patrick Chung.
Players will still be able to opt out after the deadline if they are deemed to be high risk for the coronavirus or if a close relative dies or becomes hospitalized due to COVID-19.
Here is a team-by-team rundown of everyone who won't play in 2020:
| Team | Players opted out |
|---|---|
| ARI | OT Marcus Gilbert |
| ATL | |
| BAL | WR/KR De’Anthony Thomas / OT Andre Smith |
| BUF | DT Star Lotulelei / CB E.J. Gaines |
| CAR | LB Jordan Mack / DE Christian Miller |
| CHI | DT Eddie Goldman / S Jordan Lucas |
| CIN | DT Josh Tupou / OT Isaiah Prince |
| CLE | G Drew Forbes / OT Drake Dorbeck DT Andrew Billings / G Colby Gossett G Malcolm Pridgeon |
| DAL | CB Maurice Canady / WR Stephen Guidry FB Jamize Olawale |
| DEN | DT Kyle Peko / OT Ja'Wuan James |
| DET | DT John Atkins / WR Geronimo Allison C Russell Bodine |
| GB | WR Devin Funchess |
| HOU | DT Eddie Vanderdoes |
| IND | LB Skai Moore / CB Marvell Tell DB Rolan Milligan |
| JAX | DT Al Woods / DL Lerentee McCray CB Rashaan Melvin |
| KC | OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif / RB Damien Williams OT Lucas Niang |
| LAC | |
| LAR | G Chandler Brewer |
| LV | CB D.J. Killings / DE Jeremiah Valoaga LB Ukeme Eligwe |
| MIA | WR Allen Hurns / WR Albert Wilson |
| MIN | DT Michael Pierce |
| NE | LB Dont’a Hightower / S Patrick Chung RT Marcus Cannon / RB Brandon Bolden FB Danny Vitale / OL Najee Toran WR Marqise Lee / TE Matt LaCosse |
| NO | TE Jason Vander Laan / TE Cole Wick |
| NYG | OT Nate Solder / WR Da'Mari Scott CB Sam Beal |
| NYJ | LB C.J. Mosley / OL Leo Koloamatangi WR Josh Doctson |
| PHI | WR Marquise Goodwin |
| PIT | |
| SF | WR Travis Benjamin / OL Shon Coleman OL Jake Brendel |
| SEA | G Chance Warmack |
| TB | OT Brad Seaton |
| TEN | OT Anthony McKinney |
| WAS | DL Caleb Brantley / LB Josh Harvey-Clemons |
| Free agents | G Larry Warford |