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Minnesota WR announces decision to opt out of remaining 2020 season

Spenser Davis

By Spenser Davis

Published:

Minnesota star receiver Rashod Bateman has opted out of the remainder of the college football season.

Bateman announced the news on Twitter Wednesday afternoon:

Bateman cited Minnesota’s issues with COVID-19 this week that canceled the Gophers’ game against Wisconsin for this weekend.

“After further dialogue with coach Fleck and my family, we decided that after this most recent COVID-19 outbreak and the cancelation of this weekend’s game, that it made the most sense to begin to focus on the next stage of my career,” Bateman wrote in-part.

“Minnesota has changed me forever and the lessons I learned in the Row The Boat culture will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Bateman is currently a top-10 wide receiver prospect in the 2021 NFL draft, according to WalterFootball.com.

P.J. Fleck also released a statement on Bateman’s decision:

“I fully support him as he pursues his dream and I want to thank him for everything he gave to our program, university and state,” Fleck said in the statement. “It was a joy to watch Rashod develop into an All-American receiver on the field and a strong, positive advocate for social change off of it. He is one of the best to ever represent Minnesota.”

So far this season, Bateman had amassed 36 catches for 472 yards and two touchdowns. He emerged as a No. 1 option at receiver in 2019 when he caught 60 passes for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Minnesota’s remaining games are against Northwestern and Nebraska.

 

Spenser Davis

Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.