I get that obviously its in all players best interests to get vaccinated, but the best way is to convince them its in their own best interests to do so. 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. Unvaccinated NFL players will be subjected to a fine of $14,650 every time they violate COVID-19 procedures. If your team deals with an outbreak, thats on you. Yes, life comes at you fast. An example of the far-reaching potential implications of this came when the Vikings were reduced to one active quarterback after losing three others, including starter Kirk Cousins, to COVID-19 reserve one week into training camp. The tenor and tone of the NFLs approach to the pandemic has shifted as the league moves into its second season in a Covid world. Not a member? Realmuto #10 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on July 5, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The message from the league office is clear: dont want an outbreak? Of course, Allen could have been vaccinated between then and now, but he has yet to come out and say so. Eventually, unvaccinated players will become fed up with watching all of the vaccinated players having fun from a distance. A spotlight was put on the punishment after a report that Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians would fine a player "$14,000 on the spot every time he isn't wearing a mask or is breaking a protocol.". XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Here is a breakdown of the state of the NFL when it comes to vaccinations. The Premier League has reported that 16% of players registered with its 20 member clubs have yet to receive a first vaccine against COVID-19. Vaccinated players wont be tested on game day; thus, vaccinated players wont face the risk of suddenly not being able to play. As an abstract concept, freedom of choice and vaccine hesitancy would likely be viewed within a locker room as a personal issue. https://t.co/aNKbgO5NSK. As we've already seen with a number of prominent NFL players including Carson Wentz and Cam Newton, not being vaccinated against COVID-19 is going to have substantial real-life implications in the NFL this season. League spokesperson Brian McCarthy confirmed to ESPN that Arians "was correct" in his understanding of the NFL's rule. Yet there remains outspoken hesitancy to the vaccine throughout the league. I dont know how accessing the list is of any real importance. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They can still be out. Below is a list of fantasy players with noteworthy average draft positions who have beat around the bush regarding their vaccine status. Placement on the reserve/COVID-19 list will delay Montez Sweat 's return from injury to the Washington Football Team lineup. So how can people who wager money in jurisdictions where sports betting is now legal be expected to make bets without knowing which players may suddenly be unavailable to play? If/when a prominent player who isnt widely known to be unvaccinated gets scratched on the day of a regular-season game for COVID reasons, anyone who bet on that team or added that player to a fantasy lineup without knowing about the risk hed suddenly be pulled from the game will justifiably be upset. There have been a slew of MLB players that have not been able to enter Canada to face the Toronto Blue Jays because they are unvaccinated. These issues are present even during practice. What is even worse for Rodgers is that he has been lying for months about being vaccinated. EARLIER: The National Football League's regular season is just around the corner, . Here are three players who could put their teams' futures in danger as a result of their refusal to be vaccinated. That will not be the case this season. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Nice try. Several NFL players have spoken out about the new rule, not happy at all with the way the NFL is supposedly restricting their freedom. Entering Week 1, 93.5 percent of the NFLs nearly 2,300 players had received at least one dose of a vaccine. Every violation of COVID-19 procedures by an unvaccinated player will lead to a $14,650 fine by the league this season. Cole Beasley has been one of the most outspoken players when it comes to getting vaccinated in the NFL. The weekly testing cadence was a compromise, though a complicated one, because the elimination of frequent testing for vaccinated individuals was one of the most compelling incentives to prompt players to get their shots. Since the vaccines are given in two shots and there's a three to six-week gap between them, it would take until the start of the regular season for all players to be vaccinated. DeAndre Hopkins has been one of the biggest sources of opposition to the vaccine. The Raiders roster, according to the NFL, is now fully vaccinated. Daily testing. Are gamblers all actuaries, determining the risk of players A, B or C might not play? Any vaccinated and asymptomatic player. Jackson has contracted COVID-19 twice. The nightmare scenario for any team is that an unvaccinated player compromises the health of someone on their team or someone they come into contact with. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. 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. Put your money with teams that have great depths on players. I just dont understand, the Vikings head coach, Mike Zimmer, said this week. McDermott and Beane have both publicly expressed frustration with players resistance to getting vaccinated. The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to extend their two-tiered COVID-19 protocols into training camp and the preseason, maintaining severe restrictions on unvaccinated players but . And that means Perryman, too. Matthew Judon and Leonard Fournette were other players who spoke out on Twitter regarding the new rules: Matthew Judon (@man_dammn) July 22, 2021, Add #Bucs RB Leonard Fournette to the list of players against getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile Jackson, a former league MVP, is still unsure about getting the vaccine despite contracting Covid twice in the past 12 months. 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. To me, whats the point? They also are explicitly prohibited from eating at restaurants and from mingling with friends and family during trips. (1:04), NFL to fine unvaccinated players $15K for lapses, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? McKenzie didnt get much sympathy from his coach. This season its over to the individuals, creating a natural dividing line between the haves and the have-nots: those who have taken a vaccine and those who have not. But once that choice shifts from the abstract to the real, once it starts to ding paychecks, much of the inter-locker room support will wash away. There will be further flashpoints of awkwardness. Kirk Cousins, who isn't vaccinated, says he'll continue to follow all protocols, the team is getting a bigger QB room so he won't be a close contact & he might even put plexiglass around where he is in the facility. However, as he's playing on a one-year deal, the Buccaneers may be tempted to find a way to cut or trade him in order to minimize the risks of a COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, three key Colts players, including starting quarterback Carson Wentz, were abruptly sent home a week before the season opener under a similar scenario. Heres the kicker: players on both teams will not be paid for the lost contest, and the team responsible for the cancelled game the one with the outbreak will cover the finances for the side without the outbreak. Going by the comments to this thread I have to remind myself that posters are fans of the NFL, not WWE. It applies to healthcare institutions, providers, insurance companies and (in some cases) the government. One moment hes simply a sceptic, not an anti-vaxxer; the next hes releasing a vaccine-Fauci-sheeple diss track. DeAndre Hopkins thinks 45,000 people died from the COVID vaccine: DeAndre Hopkins Twitter Activity Strongly Against NFL Vaccine Policy and new Covid Rules, Atlanta Falcons Training Camp 2021: Start Date, Location, Roster Battles, and Fan Policy. pic.twitter.com/1IqlksESap Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 22, 2021 Players who are signed by clubs in-season are still subject to the five-day re-entry procedures, complicating matters for a player such as Newton if a team wishes to sign him on short notice. 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. doyouknowgod says: Unvaccinated players may not gather in groups larger than three at team functions located off-site. George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images More vaccinated NFL players have tested. That means only a tiny minority of players fewer than 200 are subject to these rules. There is no extra week built into the season for make-up games. As of July 12, 2022, there have been 26 MLB players that have been placed on the restricted list when their respective team was in Toronto since they were unvaccinated. Some NFL players, though, are standing their ground. And theres evidence this has occurred. Please logout and login again. Articles like this are what make people so paranoid. Carson Wentz is the final player in the carousel of the unvaccinated quarterbacks. Saunas and steam rooms are off-limits to unvaccinated players. AUBURN Coach Hugh Freeze was adamant after Auburn football's first spring practice: There is no depth chart. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. There are certainly more, though, and some of the unvaccinated wont be impacted if they dont play in Toronto this season. With the virus, the Vikings could find out about a player testing positive or an unvaccinated player being a close contact the morning before a game. But holdouts remain. Within the backend of rosters, the leagues strongarm tactics are working. According to Steelers Wire, Harris has been practicing with and without a yellow wristband that designates players who are not fully vaccinated. In the NFL unvaccinated players are allowed to play, but the rules are tough: relentless testing, big fines for refusing to . 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. Here is why. Meanwhile, vaccinated players can undergo their weekly test and immediately enter before learning the result. NFL players unanimously granted the NFLPA the right to bargain on their behalf when it comes to medical and disciplinary guidelines under the 2020 NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement. 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. These stipulations include daily testing and masks inside facilities for those without the vaccine. But the majority of an NFL roster holds no such value. Thats a significant time difference. That also applies to MLB players and personnel that are not vaccinated. Nobody ever, ever said the vaccine was guaranteed. As a result, there have been more than two dozen MLB players that have not been placed on the restricted list while their team is in Toronto. Just test in a way that yields the results before(I guess awhile before)KO. ", The news broke this morning that Aaron Rodgers has contracted COVID-19, Rodgers is that he has been lying for months, when it comes to getting vaccinated in the NFL. The team had Michael Osterholm, an infectious-disease expert from the University of Minnesota,. They do not need to wear masks, they can eat wherever they want and visit wherever they want. The NFL has changed its COVID protocol for vaccinated players, as it explained in a league memo. Arians said the Bucs have not brought in any doctors or vaccine specialists to address the team as a whole, which Ron Rivera did with the Washington Football Team, but said doctors have been made available to address player concerns individually. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. According to SB Nation, only about 50 percent of the players have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Edwards vaccination status is unclear. The vaccine debate in Buffalo has been the most public in the NFL, with receiver Cole Beasley at the forefront. This list is not comprehensive and we can only take this information at face value. But the league is still not satisfied. 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. If the league (and the union, which also will benefit from the millions made by the sport through legalized betting) wants those who place wagers to feel good about the decisions being made, they need to be able to access a list of each teams unvaccinated players. More testing. This could have an outsize impact on their position groups and teams if outbreaks abound. Like Perryman, McKenzie grew tired of the protocols and recently got his first dose of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine. Can you imagine the risk of this information being leaked given the betting advantage? His second follow-up: suggesting the team meets outside all season, even in the Minnesota winter. Last year it was all kumbaya, rah-rah, football-will-guide-us-through-the-darkness type of rhetoric. Unvaccinated players are required to quarantine for at least 10 days after a positive test, whether they are asymptomatic or not. Head coach Mike Zimmer expressed his frustration with the team after several quarterbacks missed practice over the weekend due to positive tests or being deemed a close contact: "I'm frustrated, not just with my football players who didn't get vaccinated, but I'm frustrated with everybody [who didn't]." Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, NFL says COVID outbreaks could lead to forfeits, WR Hopkins, others question NFL's vaccine push, NFL to carry over flexible roster rules for 2021. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. As much as football is a team sport, coaches have also made their stances clear that players can choose to be vaccinated or not. Who are these players and who are against the new policy? Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Ashish freelanced for 1 year in the NFL division before taking on an editorial role in the company. He then tacked on managing content while adding on a writing role in the NBA division. Allen was undecided in June on whether he would get the vaccine, according to the Chicago Tribune. They got me! In pursuit of this goal, they have decided to exercise the nuclear option. A so-called close contact situation means an unvaccinated player must quarantine for five days following that point of contact. However, the NFL has around 2900 players right now. Says key is to not be a close contact. Those players must also be masked when working out indoors. But he also seems to understand that players who have held out this long are pretty well dug in. From the memo that just went to clubs: pic.twitter.com/8yMPW0JBWZ. As the NFL approaches the 2021 season, the league informed clubs that it would not extend the season to accommodate a COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players that causes a game cancellation. Im not sure all of them will. This is much different than if a player is lost for some time with an injury. Its each man and team for themselves may the most vaccinated win. As a whole, the NFLs vaccination numbers are strong compared with the rates elsewhere in the country. It really, really sucks., Of his own decision to get vaccinated, Hines said, I just wanted to make my life easier. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. The NFL literally made a federal case out of air in a football when both teams had balls with low air pressure (and the Patriots played better after their balls were reinflated). How different will life by for vaccinated and unvaccinated players? But that probably pales in comparison with the daily annoyances that unvaccinated players themselves are subjected to individually. Vaccinated personnel who are categorized as close contacts are not subject to the quarantine rules, as long as they continue to test negative. Buffalos Cole Beasley continues to bicker with his teammates publicly about his stance. At first glance, this seems to be rather low. Some names have become obvious, but only because of incidents involving the players. Allen was an MVP candidate in 2021, and the Bills are legitimate Super Bowl contenders, so their situation is certainly worth monitoring. Im here to play football. Their only hope to return to normal is for Covid-19 to go away. The Tigers got the spring period started . Should they still choose to not receive the vaccine, Arians said, "Just follow last year's rules.". The U.S. vaccine requirement for foreign air travellers is not expected to be lifted before the main draw begins at Indian Wells on March 9 and the Miami Open later in the month, meaning Djokovic . Last year it was all. Any break in that daily testing regimen means an unvaccinated player is subject to a five-day re-entry process, which prevents a player from returning to the team facility for five days if testing negative each day during that period. 4 min read. Here's a look at five NFL superstars who have not yet been vaccinated. Register now! But where unvaccinated players are concerned, a 15-player limit applies. 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. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Inside information is very real for pro football, and it easily can be abused. Already, some big-name players have found their way to the COVID-19/RESERVE list. Unvaccinated players testing positive for Covid remain under the same 2020 protocols, meaning a 10-day isolation period and a return once asymptomatic. Royals are royally screwed in Toronto thanks to lengthy unvaccinated list, Ozzie Guillen Wants to Fight Jon Heyman, Calls Him a Clown on Twitter, White Sox: The ugly reason Charlie Montoyo was fired, but Tony La Russa is safe, Ozzie Guillen takes MLB Twitter war with Jon Heyman to the next level, Red Sox avoid worst-case scenario with Trevor Story injury. This process will likely take place in the first few weeks of training camp. Please logout and login again. Patrick Peterson gives his thoughts. From a cynical, non-health-based perspective, Jackson and Cousins have already put their teams and teammates at a significant competitive disadvantage by missing chunks of the pre-season, and the possibility that their status could affect games during the season will linger for all 18 weeks. He had 3.8 yards per carry on average. A new NFL policy is meant to crack down on the number of unvaccinated players in the league. Thats a result of the impact their decisions have on the team. With an additional player that isnt fully vaccinated yet on Minnesotas practice squad, the Vikings current vaccination rate is at 81.2 percent at best, well below the NFLs current leaguewide vaccination rate of 93 percent. But unvaccinated players who test positive still are . The stakes of giving the vaccine a miss are pretty high. As a result, the team responsible for the Covid outbreak may have to forfeit the game entirely. I am both but certainly see the need to address this issue. Put simply, unvaccinated players create a hassle for teams. If the player is vaccinated, then theres still a chance that they could play in their teams game if its scheduled for the following Sunday or Monday if they are able to produce a negative test on Friday and Saturday. It is a fissure between players and team personnel that will rumble on all season. Oh, it sucks, said Colts running back Nyheim Hines, who is vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/Ewt498wmsy, Isaiah McKenzie (@_IsaiahMcKenzie) August 26, 2021. Wherever you stand on vaccination, its difficult to argue that remaining unvaccinated is somehow not an impediment for an NFL player. 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. 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. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Is hard reset only way to salvage Jets QB dilemma? With new measures and rules put in place, teams will no longer be given any leniency should a covid outbreak occur. Those whove had Covid have stronger and much longer lasting immunity than those who got the injections. Here are three players who could put their teams' futures in danger as a result of their refusal to be vaccinated. Players were not held personally responsible for testing positive or coming into contact with Covid. The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to updated COVID-19 protocols for 2021 training camp and preseason, per source. DeAndre Hopkins reacted to the NFLs new memo on COVID-19 outbreaks during the season. Now. According to figures released by the league on Wednesday, 91.7% of all players have had at least one dose of a vaccine; 15 teams have more than 95% of their players vaccinated. Cousins drew the public ire of his coaching staff for his stance on the vaccine. Its like a raincoat. Groups of vaccinated players may use the weight room without capacity limits. Later, having dealt with inconvenient daily COVID-19 testing, eating meals in isolation, constant masking and painstaking social-distancing requirements for seven weeks, Perryman has made an abrupt about-face. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. 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. Dr Allen Sills, the chief medical officer for the NFL, has often cut a frustrated figure throughout the leagues vaccination efforts. So now the league capitulates to gamblers, huh? 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." These guys are getting tested daily. 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. Be the first one to comment on this story. According to the New York Times, close to 90% of the NFL has been vaccinated, as the Delta variant sweeps the nation. It should be noted that as of this publication, only the Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, and New York Yankees have not placed any player on the restricted list before heading into Toronto. Im here for business.. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onMinnesota Vikings and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. 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. The league is not forcing its players to get vaccinated, but players with and without the vaccine enjoy different privileges. Wentz is the 15th player currently on the list for the Colts. Colts All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard, who is unvaccinated, acknowledges that the protocols are burdensome. 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. "NFL policy," Arians told ESPN in a text message. Finally, I won't dive into Cole Beasley's situation too deeply as his public battle over the vaccine has been widely covered. Harris, a first-round pick expected to receive a massive workload in the Steelers offense, did not directly answer a question over the weekend regarding his vaccination status. Cant even eat with my fellow brothers. ( LifeSiteNews) - The players' union for the National Football League (NFLPA) has chosen to ignore a letter from the Health Freedom Defense Fund (HFDF) that . Smith runs second-fastest 40 by DL since 03, Saleh compares Carr to Stafford pre-Rams trade, Allen to be ready to roll for offseason program, How to maximize leverage of No. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. EARLIER: The National Football League's regular season is just around the corner, . . Vikings Coach Mike Zimmer has expressed his frustration with his team's unvaccinated players. Take for example, if a player this season tests positive for COVID-19 on a Thursday, but they are asymptomatic. Union leadership pushed for a return to daily testing for all players and staff, regardless of vaccination status. I'm pro choice. He was made to go through the re-entry process and was released by New England a week later, on Aug. 31. A vaccine arms race is brewing before the NFL season starts in September but several star players are reluctant to play ball. According to the Charlotte Observer, the Panthers have one of the highest vaccination rates in the league and were one of many teams affected by a breakout in the 2020 season. "League rules.". Since then, Ashish has focused on honing his knowledge for both leagues in, even writing crossover pieces. Even before the workday begins, the inconvenience for unvaccinated players already is undeniable. Vaccinated players test once every seven days, a recent change from the previous 14-day interval. Ditto for Patriots quarterback Cam Newton, who missed five days. I havent caught Covid yet, the Washington defensive end Montez Sweat said. Be the first one to comment on this story. Does the NFL have to worry about stars like DeAndre Hopkins not getting vaccinated? Kind of reminds me of how Biden gave out names to the Taliban.. Agents have reported that teams spent the summer checking in on the vaccine status of their back-of-the-roster clients. The game is hopelessly corrupt. Unfortunately for the vaccine holdouts, most medical experts believe that Covid-19 is going to be around for a very long time. In a league that plays only 17 games per season, one loss could be the difference between a playoff berth and a playoff absence. While vaccinated people can and do contract COVID-19, particularly the highly contagious Delta variant, NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills said recently, The data has consistently shown higher rates of infection in unvaccinated players than vaccinated players.. If u want the vax get it and you will be safe and sound, right? There will be no more do-overs. 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. But as recently as last week, he declined to say whether he was vaccinated. That can involve everything from rearranging the locker room to creatively carving out meeting space that allows for the required six feet between unvaccinated players.