Two Cowboys players opt out of season, 13 total players across the NFL

The amount of players opting out of the NFL is rising and it’s impacting the Dallas Cowboys.

Of the 14 players who recently announced that they’ll sit out the 2020-21 NFL season, two of them were Dallas Cowboys players Maurice Canady and Stephen Guirdy.

Canady, a 26-year-old cornerback, signed a one-year deal with Dallas on March 30, but listed family concerns amid COVID-19 for wanting to sit out this season.

“Family first money second,” Canady said in a tweet. “I been hurt and forgot about before in my career and SO I KNOW the ONLY people that was there for me was my loved ones. Decision was extremely hard but can’t turn a cold shoulder to ALL I have in a time of uncertainty 2021 loading already.”

Guidry, an undrafted wide receiver from Mississippi State who signed with Dallas earlier this year, is also opting out this season. 

Players who are not deemed in a high-risk category can receive a $150,000 stipend for voluntarily opting out. 

12 players have opted out of the NFL season since Monday. One of the more notable names to opt out was two-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion for the Patriots, Dont’a Hightower.