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Marquise Goodwin delivers powerful message to announce 2020 NFL season opt-out

49ers receiver Marquise Goodwin has one major reason why he’s opting out of the 2020 NFL season, and he made sure to share it with the world.

Goodwin became one the first NFL players to opt out of playing, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in a piece of major news announced on Tuesday.

The news wasn’t well received by fans, however, as the 49ers are looking to repeat as NFC Champions, possibly even win a Super Bowl. As such, Goodwin was unfairly criticized, so he took to Twitter to defend his decision, showing that his family was the reasoning behind it.

“Before I get into the specifics, hear me out,” Goodwin began.

“It is truly a blessing and privilege to be able to play football, a game that I love so much and have been blessed to play since the age of 9. The NFL Organization provides my family and I with many opportunities that wouldn’t have presented itself in other industries. Traveling to several States multiple times a year and internationally to play on foreign soil has allowed me to gain an appreciation for different cultures and a wider world view perspective. The NFL Football organization has allowed me to create a platform I always dreamed of and it allows me to reach numerous people on different stages of life.

Three years ago, I made a decision that affected my whole life. I choose to leave my wife at the hospital after prematurely birthing our first baby boy (due to incompetent cervix) which resulted in a fatality, to play on a football game. I felt like I had to prove to my coaches and new team that I was dedicated to winning and I wouldn’t let anything keep me from the goal, not even my family.”

He shouldn’t even have to defend his decision, as Goodwin is prioritizing the health of himself and his family, and we commend him for it.