San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Travis Benjamin announced that he is opting out of playing the 2020 season on Tuesday night.
“First, I would like to thank the 49ers organization for their continued support,” Benjamin wrote in a post made to his Twitter account. “After much consideration and discussion with my family I have decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season as I feel this is the best decision for my family. I will continue to support my teammates and many friends around the league this season. As we continue to navigate this pandemic I wish that everyone stays safe.”
Benjamin becomes the first member of the 49ers to announce he will not be playing the upcoming season as part of COVID-19 opt outs. To date we have 55 players on our tracker as having taken the option to sit out the season.
Benjamin signed a one-year deal with the 49ers back in March. With his decision to opt out, that contract will roll over to the 2021 season.
All NFL players have the option not to play this season because of the pandemic. Those who are considered high-risk receive $350,000, while those who are not high-risk receive a $150,000 advance that they have to pay back next year. The deadline for players to opt out is on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET.