The New York Jets are the latest team to opt-out of in-person voluntary workouts, becoming the 13th NFL team to do so.

The New York Jets became the 13th NFL team to opt-out of voluntary offseason workouts, submitting a statement through the Players Association’s social media accounts. Teams have begun opting out of in-person activities in the wake of the ongoing health crisis. The Denver Broncos were the first team to do so, making their announcement on Tuesday.

“Football is a labor of love for our men, who work year-round to stay in shape on prepare ourselves to perform at the highest level,” the statement read. “Given that we are still in a pandemic and based on the facts provided to our membership by our union about the health and safety benefits of a virtual offseason, many of us will exercise our CBA right and not attend in-person voluntary workouts.”

“We respect that every player has a right to make a decision about what is best for him and his family, and we stand in solidarity with other players across the NFL who are making informed choices about this offseason.”

Despite ongoing vaccinations across the country, COVID-19 continues to make an impact on the sports world. Two NHL teams (the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks) are currently on pause in the wake of positive tests while the New York Mets’ opening series with the Washington Nationals was delayed due to issues in the latter’s organization.

In their notes distributed by the NFLPA, some teams have stated a preference for virtual workouts, especially with COVID-19 still prevalent in some areas. Others have noted that they emerged from last season with fewer injuries when virtual workouts were conducted last season in the height of the pandemic.

“Injury data and game performance from last year show that a virtual offseason is beneficial to health and safety,” the Atlanta Falcons’ statement reads. The Cleveland Browns noted in theirs that “missed time injuries” decreased by 23 percent.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags