The deadline to opt-out of the 2020 season is set for Thursday at 1 p.m. PT, according to ESPN. Players can do so should they be concerned about their health or the health of their loved ones amid the coronavirus pandemic.
So far, no San Francisco 49ers players have expressed a desire to exercise the option.
"I have not had a conversation (about opting out) with any of our players," general manager John Lynch told reporters on Monday via a video press conference. "We've talked a lot. We always feel like communication with our players is the best opportunity for success in every situation. But none of our players have intimated that that is an option that they're going to be exercising, I guess."
No members of the coaching staff have chosen to opt-out of the upcoming season, either. That is a legitimate option for them, and neither Lynch nor head coach Kyle Shanahan would blame them from doing so.
"You want everyone to know that there's no right or wrong answers," Shanahan said during the same press conference. "It's what you're comfortable with."
The 49ers are looking to rebound from a February loss in Super Bowl LIV and earn a return trip to the big game. Still, player and staff safety are paramount.
Added Shanahan: "I mean, if the doctors recommend them not to come, they wouldn't be here. The doctors have to recommend them first, and then they give those risks. Then the guys, they know there's not pressure. We'll work through it and figure out what we can do based off how they feel."
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