Dont'a Hightower -- a 3-time Super Bowl champion and one of the leaders of the Patriots' defense -- has also chosen to sit out this season.
Hightower, according to NFL Network's Michael Giardi, just had a baby this month ... and his mom also has type 2 diabetes.
"Me and my fiancée are just more concerned with the health of our family than football," Hightower said in a statement to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, "especially the new addition to our family."
The opt-out is a big blow for the Pats, Hightower recorded 71 tackles and 5.5 sacks for New England last season ... but he's also now one of FIVE Patriots choosing to forego the season.
Pats running back Brandon Bolden and offensive linemen Najee Toran and Marcus Cannon have also joined Hightower and fullback Danny Vitale in sitting out 2020.
There could be more on the way as well ... players still have until the end of this week to make opt-out decisions. [Reply]
Maybe not so much worried about their health, but the fact that they woudl have to be away from their wife and newborn for basically 7 months as much as they can?
Originally Posted by RunKC:
I’d still watch but no matter what the SB winner would get the “does it really count?” treatment. The quality would be significantly worse as well with important players opting out.
Also if it means Andy doesn’t get this I would take a cancelled season. He’s a very high risk candidate. We need to see what their plan is for him.
That ship is going to sail either way. No matter who wins the other 31 teams are going to say it doesn't count because it was the weird COVID season. Gonna have guys opting out, probably have guys get sick and miss games during the season. Just how it's going to be. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
I’d still watch but no matter what the SB winner would get the “does it really count?” treatment. The quality would be significantly worse as well with important players opting out.
Also if it means Andy doesn’t get this I would take a cancelled season. He’s a very high risk candidate. We need to see what their plan is for him.
Oh well, everybody has to deal with it.
I know if the Chiefs repeat, I won’t give a fuck what they say. [Reply]
Originally Posted by O.city:
Maybe not so much worried about their health, but the fact that they woudl have to be away from their wife and newborn for basically 7 months as much as they can?
Originally Posted by Marcellus:
Why would anyone with newborns be worried? The risk from some other disease is much much greater. There is literally no science to support that frame of mind.
What? Who said anything about the newborn getting sick? There's not much evidence of that being a problem. It's about traveling around and being away from your family with a nasty virus going around, especially if one of the parents ends up getting sick with it. That would not be a fun time. But I would imagine even with that a lot of parents just wouldn't want any disease around their newborn child. I don't think it's that hard to figure. [Reply]
Originally Posted by O.city:
Maybe not so much worried about their health, but the fact that they woudl have to be away from their wife and newborn for basically 7 months as much as they can?
I get it.
We all know this is the players wives driving this decision. Good quality players who have already been paid big who would be on a roster again next year when this is over. [Reply]
Belichick encouraging all of his players to sit out so they tank for Trevor Lawrence. Man's a genius. I wonder if the Patriots would have better cap space as well and how that will work out.
It's like a free season to try Stidham/Cam. If they look great then there on their way and if either looks horrible it's time to concentrate on a new QB. Plus they had like 12 draft picks this year who get some playing time in to find out who will stick. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
We all know this is the players wives driving this decision. Good quality players who have already been paid big who would be on a roster again next year when this is over.
Even “good quality” players who sit out a year and are completely removed from organized team activities such as conditioning will find it difficult to reclaim their current roster spots and/or starting jobs.
The players who are opting out will basically go as long as 15-16 months (from the end of last season to the projected start of next season’s OTA’s in April 2021) without any organized team activities.
If players not named Patrick Mahomes think they can simply return to their previous roster position with that extended absence they are delusional. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tk13:
But I would imagine even with that a lot of parents just wouldn't want any disease around their newborn child. I don't think it's that hard to figure.
And yet there has not been the same level of panic with players wanting to protect their families from MRSA, H1N1 and any other number of pathogens that regularly spread among teams. [Reply]
Dont'a Hightower -- a 3-time Super Bowl champion and one of the leaders of the Patriots' defense -- has also chosen to sit out this season.
Hightower, according to NFL Network's Michael Giardi, just had a baby this month ... and his mom also has type 2 diabetes.
Maybe he is more concerned with his mom than his baby, and he doesn't want to isolate his mom from her grandkid and the rest of his family? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chief Pagan:
Maybe he is more concerned with his mom than his baby, and he doesn't want to isolate his mom from her grandkid and the rest of his family?
I have type 2 Diabetes and am not worried at all.
On another note, these guys are millionaires. If they don't want to bring it home, get a separate apartment. You either want to play or you don't. [Reply]
More than 70% of NFL players fall into an at-risk category for COVID-19, including having a high body-mass index and/or being African American. If you’re angry at a player for choosing to protect himself and his family, you need to reassess your life’s priorities.
