Heading into the new season, the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, and team owners have signed off on some of the most stringent Covid guidelines this side of the militarys proposed vaccine mandate. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins says he is still doing research when it comes to the Covid-19 vaccine. . A recent report revealed that 12 of the current 53 players on the Minnesota Vikings active roster are unvaccinated or still have not received a full dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Back on August 3, the Washington Posts Nicki Jhabvala reported that the Vikings had the lowest vaccination rate in the NFL, with only 70 percent of their players having at least one dose of the vaccine and 64.5 fully vaccinated. Take for example, if a player this season tests positive for COVID-19 on a Thursday, but they are asymptomatic. Leonard Fournette is also unvaccinated. Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021, Also Read: DeAndre Hopkins thinks 45,000 people died from the COVID vaccine: DeAndre Hopkins Twitter Activity Strongly Against NFL Vaccine Policy and new Covid Rules. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has contracted Covid twice in the past 12 months. The previous 14-day testing interval was described as ineffective by NFL Players Association president J.C. Tretter, who cited breakthrough cases and clusters of positive tests from vaccinated individuals, like a cluster of 14 positive cases in Tennessee last month, and at least six positive tests among vaccinated coaches and staff in New Orleans. NFL informs clubs that COVID-19 outbreaks among unvaccinated players The game is hopelessly corrupt. Two losses could be the difference between a division title and people fighting for their jobs. The stipulations place a premium on wearing appropriate PPE and offer restrictions on the number of people and types of venues players may gather in for social or team-related purposes. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onMinnesota Vikings and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Oh, it sucks, said Colts running back Nyheim Hines, who is vaccinated. That also applies to MLB players and personnel that are not vaccinated. Its an ever-present challenge, even on the practice field. NFL, NFLPA agree to COVID-19 protocols for regular season For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. he tenor and tone of the NFLs approach to the pandemic has shifted as the league moves into its second season in a Covid world. There are certainly more, though, and some of the unvaccinated wont be impacted if they dont play in Toronto this season. Washington DE Montez Sweat tests positive for COVID-19, out 10 days due You have to have it on your mind 24/7. Not a member? NFL, NFLPA should disclose the full list of unvaccinated players - MSN You have to understand that your (tracker) is still going. They will still receive the bulk of their paycheck no matter the knock-on effect on their team, teammates, family members, future earnings or legacy. "League rules.". So for guys that are reportedly unvaccinated on the Vikings roster like Thielen, Cook, and Smith, none of them have to even test positive for COVID-19 to possibly miss a game this season. Hopkins has been one of the NFL's top receivers for several years, and he's now saying his future is in doubt due to the league's policies. NFL will fine unvaccinated players $14,650 for violating COVID protocols Bruce Arians has advice for unvaccinated players who wish to avoid fines By Jared Dubin Jul 24, 2021 at 12:53 pm ET . The response was a thudding silence; his team entered August with the lowest vaccination rate in the league. Unvaccinated NFL players will have a much, much more difficult season Klopp has. That said, if the rigorous rules motivate players to opt for vaccination, the NFL isnt about to complain. The NFL has reached a vaccination rate of nearly 93 percent among its players and above 99 percent among staff members, according to NFL Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills, who spoke Thursday. That could spell trouble for the team if one of those players is not vaccinated and then causes an outbreak this season. Nothing against it. Games ended up being played every day of the week to ensure that the season was played in full when the vaccine was not widely available. Unvaccinated NFL players refusing to get the shot #1 - DeAndre Hopkins,. Like Perryman, McKenzie grew tired of the protocols and recently got his first dose of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine. Allen was an MVP candidate in 2021, and the Bills are legitimate Super Bowl contenders, so their situation is certainly worth monitoring. Learn how your comment data is processed. Additionally, three key Colts players, including starting quarterback Carson Wentz, were abruptly sent home a week before the season opener under a similar scenario. Now the Vikings have had to bring in QBs Case Cookus and Danny. Register now! Know thyself. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onAll MLB and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. They are potential spreaders. The bleak on-field scenario is that theyre forced to forfeit a game or two and that they will have to pay for the privilege. Players who have elected to not be vaccinated are, in essence, operating under the leagues onerous, pre-vaccine restrictions of 2020. I havent caught Covid yet, the Washington defensive end Montez Sweat said. I am both but certainly see the need to address this issue. Who cares? In June, during a podcast interview with Kyle Brandt, Allen said that he was undecided about getting the vaccine and hadn't "been paying attention to it as much as maybe I should have." This year, the NFL has set different rules for players that are vaccinated and for those that are unvaccinated. Earlier, Buffalo Bills Cole Beasley had also very publicly announced that he wouldnt be part of the group of people who are taking the Covid vaccine as it is his body, and that is what he felt comfortable doing: Public Service Announcement pic.twitter.com/XjQicdvnKm, Also Read: Atlanta Falcons Training Camp 2021: Start Date, Location, Roster Battles, and Fan Policy. If that number gets even smaller in the next update, you can be certain. In the 60s, Paul Horning and Alex Karras were suspended for a $10 bet between them on the Lions/GB game. No. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images). According to Steelers Wire, Harris has been practicing with and without a yellow wristband that designates players who are not fully vaccinated. If an unvaccinated player is considered a high-risk close contact . Back before the season started, Cousins was seen as a distraction and there were rumors that he may lose the locker room's confidence should he remain unvaccinated. "I'm not anti or pro vax. Placement on the reserve/COVID-19 list will delay Montez Sweat 's return from injury to the Washington Football Team lineup. If they are just even around someone who gets infected with the virus, then they will be forced to isolate themselves from the team for at least five days. In a memo to the eight remaining playoff . You cant slip up. Already, some big-name players have found their way to the COVID-19/RESERVE list. Test everyone!!! Ditto for Patriots quarterback Cam Newton, who missed five days after a COVID misunderstanding involving an out-of-town trip and a failure to be tested every single day at the team facility. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Your login session has expired. Djokovic's bid to enter USA unvaccinated is BACKED by the US Open And its no wonder. Both the teams starting quarterback, Cousins, and the backup Nate Stanley were deemed to be in close contact with Mond and were forced to sit out under the leagues protocol. pic.twitter.com/4PwJaVuJHa. Saunas and steam rooms are off-limits to unvaccinated players. I know unvaccinated players cant do this, cant do that. DeAndre Hopkins has been one of the biggest sources of opposition to the vaccine. !If it is about safety test everyone !!! Please logout and login again. According to the New York Times, close to 90% of the NFL has been vaccinated, as the Delta variant sweeps the nation. The Star Tribune also revealed that five members of this group of 12 consists of Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, Harrison Smith, and Dalvin Tomlinson, who are all expected to be starters for the Vikings this season. Day off? Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Unvaccinated footballers are putting lives at risk. Is it time to stop In pursuit of this goal, they have decided to exercise the nuclear option. As the Washington head coach, Ron Rivera, recently outlined, that could result in his unvaccinated players missing two games as early as week one. Excepting them from testing doesnt make sense and just a ploy to coerce the unvaccinated. Five notable starters reportedly among Vikings unvaccinated players At first glance, this seems to be rather low. A so-called close contact situation means an unvaccinated player must quarantine for five days following that point of contact. Conversely, vaccinated players not scheduled to test that day had the luxury of sleeping in. The rules crafted by the league and the union rules aimed at encouraging players to get vaccinated have created this very important potential impediment to game-day availability. "NFL policy," Arians told ESPN in a text message. The Bills would owe Beasley a mere $3.5 million if they cut him. 4 min read. Some players have voiced resistance to the vaccine, however. Beasleys stance has been so vociferous and public in the face of the leagues pseudo-mandate that it has led executives to wonder whether hes intentionally trying to get himself cut by the Bills. Should they still choose to not receive the vaccine, Arians said, "Just follow last year's rules.". Can you imagine the risk of this information being leaked given the betting advantage? There are 18 pitchers and eight position players. Kirk Cousins is another high-profile quarterback who has taken the stance of being unvaccinated. However, the Star Tribune is also reporting that several Minnesota players are currently in the process of getting vaccinated. So their vaccination rate should increase in the near future. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? Even if thats true, Newton is still very much being affected by his decision to remain unvaccinated, even as a free agent. Unvaccinated NFL players living a very different experience than their The leagues head office sent a memo to teams stating that if a game cannot be rescheduled during the leagues current 18-week schedule due to a Covid outbreak among unvaccinated players, the team with the outbreak will forfeit the game outright and will be credited with a loss. It was treated as a team-wide issue, a societal issue, not the fault of any single individual. Unvaccinated players also face restrictions during team travel. Is hard reset only way to salvage Jets QB dilemma? Premier League in talks over rules for unvaccinated players amid 90 new The teams are listed below are in order from when their first trip to Toronto happened during the season. Recently, the Vikings lost all three members of their quarterback room for several days of training camp after the rookie Kellen Mond tested positive for Covid. McDermott and Beane have both publicly expressed frustration with players resistance to getting vaccinated. Hopkins has since deleted his post and followed up with a new tweet saying Freedom? pic.twitter.com/plEQYTJ7a8, The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 22, 2021. Cousins, Mond, and Stanley all being unvaccinated forced Jake Browning to take every single rep at quarterback on Saturday night. Those players must also be masked when working out indoors. PSA to all players who got cut today if youre not fully vaccinated, the chances of you getting a tryout this year are slim to none. Copyright: RU Sport Private Limited. Fantasy Football: Unvaccinated Players Could Hurt Their Team And As one player explained in a particularly relatable example, unvaccinated players had to report for testing at 7:30 a.m. on a day his team played a 1 p.m. preseason contest. France does not allow unvaccinated people to enter the . And theres evidence this has occurred. Matthew Judon and Leonard Fournette were other players who spoke out on Twitter regarding the new rules: The NFLPA Fucking sucks Matthew Judon (@man_dammn) July 22, 2021 Add #Bucs RB Leonard Fournette to the list of players against getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Maybe some guys will look at this and say, I dont want to deal with it,' he told Buffalo reporters after four players were placed on the COVID-19 reserve list last month. This puts pressure on the team to put pressure on the unvaccinated NFL players to.. well.. get the shots. The pandemic is still raging on the US, and with the NFL set to host games at full capacity next year, they want to ensure that everything runs smoothly. The goal, the league has consistently said, is keeping players and staff members healthy amid a pandemic. Hopkins made headlines two weeks ago when he publicly questioned his future in the NFL after the league sent out a memo regarding its COVID-19 protocols. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. But several high-profile offense players, and thus key fantasy players, have indicated that they have doubts about the vaccine or come out and said they are not vaccinated. Its each man and team for themselves may the most vaccinated win. For 2021, applying secrecy to the important category of unvaccinated players undermines the integrity of every wager placed on every team with unvaccinated players on the roster. Changes to the NFLs Covid-19 regulations for the upcoming season have turned vaccination rates among players and staff members into a form of an arms race. 6 min read For months, the NFL's vaccine stragglers have clung to.