Opt-out was never an Option for Fletcher Cox

The potential of opting out of the 2020 NFL season over the COVID-19 pandemic never entered Fletcher Cox's mind

The potential of opting out of the 2020 NFL season over the COVID-19 pandemic never entered Fletcher Cox's mind.

The veteran Pro Bowl defensive tackle, arguably the best player on the Eagles, smiled when the idea was broached via Zoom on Wednesday.

“I knew I was playing,” said Cox. “I love this game so much, and I knew that from talking to guys around this organization and just feeling safe was the biggest thing, and here, I feel safe. So I knew I was going to play."

Cox called the NovaCare Complex perhaps the safest place in Philadelphia. To date, the Eagles have had two high-profile members of the organization test positive - star right tackle Lane Johnson and head coach Doug Pederson - and it's believed both contracted the virus outside the facility.

Two other players are on the reserve/COVID-19 list - linebacker Nate Gerry and offensive tackle Jordan Mailata.

The list of opt-outs, meanwhile, is fluid and growing. So far 58 players have decided to skip 2020 around the league and the vast majority are offensive linemen or defensive linemen like Cox. 

The lone Eagles player to date is receiver Marquise Goodwin with the deadline for the decision being Thursday at 4 ET.

Cox was the first Eagles player to speak with the media since Pederson confirmed he tested positive on Sunday night, something that forced the head coach to self-quarantine in his South Jersey home away from the team.

Pederson, however, remains asymptomatic according to a team source and is doing as much as he can virtually while assistant head coach Duce Staley handles the mechanics on-site.

The Eagles are still in the acclimation period of training camp and can't put on helmets until Aug. 12 or pads until Aug. 17.

Currently, they are permitted hour-long walkthroughs where coaches can start the teaching process with the players.

"Doug’s doing a really good job of leading this team virtually," said Cox. "It’s one of those deals we have to be able to adapt as a team. A lot of stuff is going to happen in the season and we have to adapt to it.

"Doug is the leader we all know. He’s doing a really good job leading us virtually, Duce is doing a really good of handling everything and players are doing a really good job, so everything is going smooth."

Having the head coach test positive didn't seem to shake Cox's confidence in either the safety protocols in place at NovaCare or the league's ability to get the 2020 season in.

"I feel safe," Cox insisted. "There are protocols you have to go through to get into the building. There are things we have to do before you even open the door. I feel really safe. When you go home, you just have to do the right things. You stay in the house, making sure you’re staying on top of things.

"I feel really good about the season. I think there will be a season. There will be ups and downs … and there are things we have to adapt to and get used to it. We know there are changes, and we can’t let that distract from our main goal, starting the season and finishing."

Cox did admit wearing a mask isn't his favorite thing to do, however.

"The hardest thing to adapt to was having a mask on at the moment you walk in the building and having to keep that mask on in meetings," he said, "just doing all the process, talking to your teammates, keeping that mask on, in the weight room, just walking around the hall."

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, and every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

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