(Reuters) - New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty said it is an "absolute joke" that the National Football League (NFL) was looking to bring forward a deadline for players to opt out of the upcoming season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under an agreement approved by the league and the players' union last month, players have the choice to opt out.
An ESPN report, quoting league sources, said the NFL was pushing to move the deadline from one week after the new collective bargaining agreement is signed to as early as Wednesday.
As many as eight New England players, including linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety Patrick Chung, have chosen to skip the campaign.