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Many NFL players opting out for sensible health reasons may have put careers on the line

Thursday afternoon was the deadline for NFL players to opt out of the 2020 season, and the final tally of those who chose to do so is 66.

For some players, like New York Giants tackle Nate Solder, it was likely a pretty easy decision: Solder’s 5-year-old son Hudson has been battling cancer for the entirety of his life, first diagnosed when he was just 3 months old, and Solder himself had a bout with testicular cancer in 2014.

For others, it was certainly more difficult for myriad reasons.

But all of them are worthy of empathy and have my admiration, because a fair number could be opting out of their NFL careers.