The 2021 NFL season is just days away from kickoff. Teams are in training camp preparing for the first full season with fans since Covid-19 put a halt to it. The NFL is doing everything possible to allow teams to play a full season in a safe and responsible way while also addressing possible competitive or financial issues fairly. The league reinforced that statement in a 10-page memorandum titled “2021 Covid-Related Operating Principles.
The memo summarized key operating principles addressing the continuing Covid-19 threat for the 2021 season. Sections of the memo can be found on the NFL website and Twitter released by NFL reporter Tom Pelissero. Through strict rules and regulations, the league is saying all members of a team/organization need to get vaccinated or you will suffer harsher consequences.
On page 2, release by Pelissero, the NFL stated that 75% of players are in the process of being vaccinated and that more than half of the clubs have vaccination rates greater than 80%. They then continue talking about the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine saying, “We know that vaccines are safe and effective and are the best step anyone can take to be safe from the coronavirus. The vaccine continues to provide strong immunity against variants of the coronavirus, including the Delta variant.”
After praising the vaccine on its effectiveness, The NFL then lists the consequences for an individual(s) and team(s) that have tested positive for Covid-19. Clearly differentiating the severity of the consequences between vaccinated players and unvaccinated players.
Consequences for Vaccinated players
Vaccinated individuals that are asymptotic will have to adhere to the following consequences:
They will have to be away from the team for at least 24-hours, they will have to have two negative tests before returning to the organization, and the individual will be tested every two weeks after or as directed by medical staff. Vaccinated individuals will not have to quarantine as a result of close contact with an infected person.
Consequences for Unvaccinated players
An unvaccinated person who tests positive will have to adhere to the same protocols that were established in the 2020 NFL season. A person will have to quarantine for 10 days if asymptotic or five days if in close contact with a positive individual.
This may not seem like a lot, but the overall consequences of an unvaccinated player contracting the virus can become costly to an organization.
On pages 3 and 4 of the memo released by Pelissero, the league lists the financial consequences for a game having to be postponed or canceled due to a positive test for only unvaccinated players.
If an outbreak occurs and a game has to be rescheduled the team experiencing the outbreak will be responsible for additional expenses occurred by the opposing team. The team will also be required to pay actual and expected payment to the VTS ( Visiting Team’s Share) Pool; which is related to ticket revenue.
If a game cannot be rescheduled within the 18-week schedule due to a covid outbreak the club will forfeit the contest and neither team will receive their salary for that week.
If NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell deems that the outbreak was due to the failure of a club to adhere to health and safety protocols, he has the authority to impose additional sanctions.
Since the memo was sent out on July 22, two assistant coaches have been fired by their organization for not getting their Covid-19 vaccine. There has also been players such as Chicago Bears tight end Jimmy Graham and Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley, who have openly conveyed their grievances with the new Covid-19 protocols.
Beasley first addressed his grievances on Twitter before addressing them on the podium after practice. During his time in the press conference, Beasley stated that he is pro-choice, and wants to speak up for the players that direct message him on social media him saying ‘“If they don’t get vaxxed [vaccinated] they’ll be cut. He also says agents are being told by teams that if they are representing a player who is not vaccinated, that player will not be seen by the organization for a workout at this time.
It has now been two weeks since NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell has released the memo and it doesn’t look like he nor the NFLPA are going to make any changes to the health and safety protocols. The season has already begun with the Hall of Fame game taking place on August 5, and the first NFL preseason game taking place on August 12. We could see these issues and sanctions, that could potentially cause an uproar amongst players and organizations to occur at any moment.
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