Exploring COVID-19's Impact on NFL Players, Salary Cap and More
*Update: The NFL has officially moved the deadline to opt out of the 2020 season to Thursday, August 6.*
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that the NFL would be moving up the deadline for players to opt-out of the 2020 season to Wednesday, August 5. The deadline was originally supposed to be seven days following the alteration of the NFL/NFLPA's collective bargaining agreement (which has yet to happen), yet it appears the league is putting their foot down by forcing the hands of the players before they even understand the future precautions/standards ahead of the season.
While no member of the Pittsburgh Steelers immediately reacted to the news, New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty wasn't too pleased.
“I think it’s an absolute joke NFL is changing the opt out period mainly because they don’t want to see guys continue to opt out" said McCourty via reporter Dov Kleiman. "I’m sure they're shocked about how many guys have opted out, but it’s the same thing when we sign the CBA. Sometimes, some rules, things that we think are good, sometimes backfire. We have rookies who are locked in long-term contracts and tagged and tagged. You don’t think that we would love to change that? That’s the point of signing an agreement. I think it’s terrible. I think it’s BS that the league changed that date, because you guys know Monday will be our first day in the building. So to try to act like guys are making a decision about something other than virtual meetings is a joke. But I think it’s something that we go through as players. When players understand how much power we have, we see things change for us.”
COVID-19 has caused high levels of uncertainty for everyone, ranging from front office personnel to players and even fans. With the deadline for league players to opt-out for the season (reportedly, not yet confirmed by the league) moving up to Wednesday, you'll see a lot of factors being weighed by the players and media members when discussing the NFL/COVID-19.
A breakdown of COVID-19's physical and financial impact for players:
Players Opting Out
Are you an NFL player and don't want to play in 2020 due to COVID-19? Congratulations! You're able to not play this season and still receive a paycheck. It's only a matter of how at-risk you are.
If a player is deemed to be high-risk by the league (autoimmune disorders, chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, heart issues, etc.), he will receive $350,000 and an accrued season that will count towards free agency. They also will receive all benefits and minimum salary credit for a credited season.
If a player is deemed to be low/non-risk by the league, he will receive $150,000 but will not accrue a season for his career. This can be important for players eyeing a potential contract next season, as this is the league's way of saying "It's probably smarter financially if you play our way" rather than sitting out.
Undrafted free agents are not eligible for the stipend.
We've already seen a wave of players opt out, most being low-risk. Big names such as Marquise Goodwin and C.J. Mosley have opted out for 2020, while a player such as Cam Heyward (who has asthma and is considered high-risk) has said he will play. There's no right or wrong decision, as each player has their own scenarios to consider. As teammates, writers and fans of the game, it'd be hard to judge a player for putting their family first.
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported on Sunday that the league is worried players will take advantage of the stipend, and likely is a reason the league is moving up the deadline. Players who are cut from teams in training camp are most notably who the league fears will happily take the six-figure paycheck, and it makes all the sense in the world for guys who might not see another roster.
But there's no such thing as a free lunch, and the NFL knows that.
That's why players who elect to sit out 2020 and don't make the roster the following season in 2021 will be ordered to pay the $150,000/$350,000 stipend back to the club, although Florio stated teams might have bigger issues than haggling a relatively small amount of money from a player. Should the player play in 2021, the money will simply be deducted from his salary.
Also an important note: Once a player voluntarily opts-out, that decision cannot be reversed unless limited circumstances provide an opportunity.
There's relative pros and cons to each side of the fence, but it appears as if the NFL has made it a particular pain in the wallet to opt out for the upcoming season.
Tending to the Salary Cap
With so many variables on the financial table, it's a maze to find how potential COVID-19 issues will impact the salary cap for this season and beyond. Some financial details are still expected to be worked out in the current CBA that has yet to be ratified.
What we know (via SI's Albert Breer):
- The salary cap for next season will be no lower than $175 million in 2021
- Revenue loss from this season will be spread out through the 2024 season
- Should there be a full season, no player salary/bonus will be reduced
- Should the season be cancelled, players will only get bonus/guaranteed money. No game checks for games not played.
That's about as simple as it gets, as potential financial possibilities are dependent on if the season is played and/or if the season is cancelled. After many headaches and endless reading, I'll try to make it as easy as possible thanks to tremendous work from OverTheCap:
Season is cancelled before regular season: If a player earned a credited year they will receive $250,000 and health insurance. The same applies to players drafted in the 2020 NFL Draft. If you are undrafted in 2020 or did not received a credited season, you will receive a $50,000 stipend. The contracts will toll for players (i.e. if a contract is from 2020-2022, it will be moved to 2021-2023).
Season is partially played then cancelled: Players will earn a prorated salary for the season. (i.e. if just one game is played than just 1/17 of their salary will be paid, bye weeks are presumably being paid so 13 games would earn 14/17th's of their salary.)
That's as vanilla as I can make it. OverTheCap dove super deep into various salary scenarios in the article linked above if you're into math that shouldn't escape a calculator.
Reserve/COVID-19 List
There exists a special category on the injury report for players with COVID-19/have come in contact with someone who has it, with "Reserve/COVID-19" as the name of the designation list. The list is unlimited in terms of spots.
Should a player either contract the virus or come in direct contact with someone who has it, their team is required to immediately to place said player on said list. Exact information on the player will be hard to come by, as both the NFL/NFLPA agreed on a policy that ensures teams are not permitted to comment on player's medical status.
Teams also are not allowed to disclose whether the player has the virus or if they are simply quarantining.
If a player tests positive and shows symptoms, he must have two negative tests over a 72-hour time frame to be allowed into team facilities, after which they will be tested daily for at least two weeks per Peter King. If a player tests positive but is not showing symptoms, he can return either ten days after the positive test or in just five days if the player tests negative twice.
In terms of what's definitely a no-no, players can’t attend the following: Indoor night clubs, indoor bars, house parties, indoor concerts, professional sporting events, or indoor church services that allow attendance above 25% of capacity.
If a player is found to attend said events and misses games due to contracting the virus, he will not be paid for the games he misses.
Positive test results will be classified as football-related injuries unless the league determines a player broke any social distancing rules upon contraction. The player could be subject to team fines/discipline if that's the case.
Training camps are still scheduled to remain on time, with extended safety protocols expected at each site. With Wednesday now reportedly the deadline for players to opt out of the upcoming season, expect to see a serious uptick in players making tough decisions.
Donnie Druin is a Staff Writer with AllSteelers. Follow Donnie on Twitter @DonnieDruin, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
