Penn St LB Micah Parsons Opts-Out of 2020 Season

Penn State’s 2019 Consensus All-American and Big Ten Linebacker of the Year Micah Parsons announced today that he will opt-out of the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A projected 1st round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, Parsons is the most high profile student-athlete to forgo the upcoming season, one that presents plenty of uncertainty from a personal health and safety standpoint.

“As I considered my options for the 2020 season, I decided that I needed to make a choice not for myself, but for my son and those dearest to me,” he said. “While I felt safe with the health and safety standard as we returned to Penn State for workouts, the potential risk to the health and well-being of my son far outweighed my urge to play football this season.”

Am I surprised by this decision? Not at all.

As I wrote yesterday, these difficult choices are ultimately up to the student-athletes. Micah has some to gain from a football perspective, and much to lose from a financial perspective. This clearly allowed him to weigh what was best for the future of him and his family.

It was, however, promising to hear him champion Penn State’s health and safety protocols since returning back to campus for workouts. It was also completely understandable, and relatable, for him to put his son’s health at the top of his priorities.

Pros of Parsons playing in 2020? Chasing a B1G Championship with his teammates. Building off of a successful 2019 in Happy Valley. Individual accolades that were sure to follow at seasons end. Camaraderie, memories, and legacy at a historic football program.

Cons of Parsons playing in 2020? Risk of season-ending injury, one that can happen at any time, as we saw with Alabama LB Dylan Moses a season ago. The financial impact from a draft position free-fall could be in the tens of millions of dollars. The possibility of contracting the virus, which would warrant time spent away from his team, forcing him out of games. The health risk presented to his son, which seems to be at the forefront of his mind.

Essentially, while still hard to decide, this is a free pass for Parsons, and others like Virginia Tech DB Caleb Farley.

There will be no questions as to why they chose to skip the 2020 season. No deep-dive from NFL personnel about their motives. No premonitions of selfishness. For now, they get to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Will they miss their teammates? You bet. Will they regret their decision during rivalry week? Of course. Will they be itching to compete when their former teams are battling for conference championships? They are probably scratching themselves just thinking about it.

Again, this is up to the student-athletes. The players who are actually playing the game.

Decisions have consequences. I hope those who have to make this tough one, choose the right one.