New York Giants offensive tackle made a stern warning to the NFL earlier this month that if the NFL continued not to do their part to keep players healthy there would be no football this season.
Fast forward a few weeks, and it appears that the 2020 season is a go. However, Solder’s involvement in said season is not.
Nate Solder Opts Out of the 2020 NFL Season
The veteran offensive tackle announced with a heavy heart his intentions to opt-out of this coming season due to the Covid-19 pandemic and health concerns revolving his family.
Solder released this statement via his Twitter account detailing his decision:
My family and I have been praying, wrestling and listening to God about our current circumstances and whether it is best that I play football this season. Our primary goal is to pursue God and listen to the Holy Spirit in everything we do. As hard as that can be as daunting as what He asks us to do can seem, we have come to believe, trust and wait on the Lord. That is why we have chosen to pause for this season.
Our family has health concerns, most notably our son’s ongoing battle with cancer, as well as my own bout with cancer. We also welcomed a new addition to our family this spring, a baby boy. With fear and trembling, we struggle to keep our priorities in order and, for us, our children’s health and the health of tour neighbors comes before football. We fully recognize that being able to make a decision like this is a privilege.
I will deeply miss my teammates, coaches and everyone in the Giants organization. I want to thank them and all my friends and fans who continue to support me and my family through the highs and the lows. As scary and bleak as I tis sometimes can be, we know that the God of the universe has all things under His control, and His plans are and will always be for our good.
Love,
Nate, Lexi, Hudson, Charlie & Emerson
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The fallout From Solder Opting Out
Solder notably inked a mammoth-sized, $62M contract back in 2018 with the Giants as part of general manager Dave Gettleman’s first free agency haul at the helm of the team.
The return on investment on Solder has been iffy to say the least up to this point for New York. The signing has received it’s fair share of backlash, especially following a 2019 campaign in which Solder finished with a career-low overall PFF grade of just 64.8.
With that said, Solder has shown glimpses of efficiency while donning a Giants uniform, evident by his 75.7 PFF grade in 2018, which at the time was his 2nd-best mark over the past five seasons.
Despite his Jekyll and Hyde play, losing Solder will be a massive blow for a Giants offensive line in the midst of a rebuild. Fourth-overall selection Andrew Thomas will likely now man the job of protecting Daniel Jones’ blindside. The battle to play opposite Thomas will likely come down to a two-man race between free-agent addition Cam Fleming and third-round pick Matt Peart.
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Giants’ Nate Solder Makes Final Playing Decision Amid Family Concerns