NFL won’t require COVID-19 vaccines but will incentivize them

Posted by Charean Williams on March 25, 2021, 3:45 PM EDT
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The NFL will not require COVID-19 vaccinations for players, coaches or staff members. But the league is encouraging vaccines, and incentives offered by the NFL will encourage (pressure?) everyone to get a shot.

The NFL sent a memo to its clubs Thursday detailing protocols for draft weekend. It is relaxing masking and distancing requirements if all individuals in the draft room are fully vaccinated.

Similar rules could apply for future activities at team facilities, incentivizing COVID-19 vaccines.

“Right up front, let me be clear: The NFL and the NFL Players Association have no intention of making the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for players, coaches or staff,” Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, told Judy Battista of NFL Media. “What we are focusing on is education. We want everyone to have the facts, and we believe that this is an important step forward. Again, as we spoke about for the draft room experience, you’ll see vaccinated individuals be able to have certain privileges and certain precautions that are lifted that won’t apply to unvaccinated individuals. We’ll continue those discussions. Again, go where the science leads us on that. But I think we’ve got a lot to learn between now and then. But we’re really going to focus on getting that education and continuing that dialogue. We’re seeing a lot of dialogue among players, coaches and staff about vaccinations. We hope everyone gets vaccinated. That would be our hope.”

The NBA and NBA Players Association recently agreed to a new protocol that provides expanded benefits to fully vaccinated players. Fully vaccinated NBA players no longer are required to quarantine following exposure to COVID-19; they can have friends, family, and others visit without testing or registration; and they can dine outdoors at restaurants.

For NBA teams that have 85 percent of players and 85 percent of staff fully vaccinated, masks no longer are required at the practice facility and teams are given more flexibility on road trips.

The NFL has started down that path, encouraging COVID-19 vaccines, not requiring them, while making it advantageous for everyone on every team to get the shot.

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40 responses to “NFL won’t require COVID-19 vaccines but will incentivize them”

  1. Uh, yeah no thanks. I’m not putting that poison in my body. Y’all can have mine and my family’s. You guys do you, though.

  2. “Uh, yeah no thanks. I’m not putting that poison in my body. Y’all can have mine and my family’s. You guys do you, though.”

    Cool, then promise not to seek medical treatment or clog up our hospitals when you contract covid19. Anti-vaxxers don’t deserve treatment.

  3. Do you have your papers?

    We encourage you to have your papers.

    Both make anyone that believes is free will nervous.

  5. So the NFL won’t follow Dr Fauci’s recommendation of wearing not one, but two masks even if you are vaccinated?

  6. I think refusing to get vaccinated is extremely selfish. I think a players owes it to his owner, coaches, and most importantly fellow players both on his team and opponents on the field to do everything possible to help keep this virus under control. Let’s face it. I believe if it didn’t work it wouldn’t have been brought to market. If there turns out to be side effects later, millions will be effected. I’m going to get it as soon as I can (I’m scheduled to be scheduled).
    I look at this way … the NFL is a brutal JOB. They never know if they will walk off the field at games end or be carted off with a season ending injury or much worse (Dennis Byrd). Getting vaccinated is one less thing I as a player would have to worry about.

  7. I myself am getting the J&J Vaccine on April 3rd. 80% of population is now eligible to receive the vaccine. If you think you aren’t eligible then I would suggest you contact your local health care officials

    I would strongly recommend getting the Vaccine. Actual medical doctors also strongly recommend it.

    I would go with the opinions MD’s and myself over the gaggle of keyboard warriors online.

  8. Don’t drag your family down with you, niners816…or so they share your insane theory that life-saving medicine is “poison.”

  9. gibson45 says:
    March 25, 2021 at 4:08 pm
    “Uh, yeah no thanks. I’m not putting that poison in my body. Y’all can have mine and my family’s. You guys do you, though.”

    Cool, then promise not to seek medical treatment or clog up our hospitals when you contract covid19. Anti-vaxxers don’t deserve treatment.
    ////////

    What happened to “my body, my choice?”

  10. “Uh, yeah no thanks. I’m not putting that poison in my body. Y’all can have mine and my family’s. You guys do you, though.”

    “Cool, then promise not to seek medical treatment or clog up our hospitals when you contract covid19. Anti-vaxxers don’t deserve treatment.”

    THIS. Leo’s Gatsby Salute.

  11. Why do people feel the need to broadcast to total strangers their very personal decision on whether to accept the vaccine?

  12. gibson45 says:

    Cool, then promise not to seek medical treatment or clog up our hospitals when you contract covid19. Anti-vaxxers don’t deserve treatment.

    ———————————–

    Translation:
    “You have freedom to make your own decisions unless those decisions don’t align with my decisions.”

  13. I can only imagine what it’s like to go about life so ignorantly.

    niners816 says:
    Uh, yeah no thanks. I’m not putting that poison in my body. Y’all can have mine and my family’s. You guys do you, though.

  15. “Cool, then promise not to seek medical treatment or clog up our hospitals when you contract covid19. Anti-vaxxers don’t deserve treatment.”
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    So do you demand the same from people that smoke? If not…why not?

  18. Anti-vaxxers “don’t want to put that “poison” in their bodies.

    Ironically, they will put alcohol and painkillers in their bodies.

    SMH

  19. What happened to “my body, my choice?

    When your choice allows you to infect me and my family, I get a say.

  20. America is the land of the free. Many good men and women fought for your freedom and that includes the freedom to choose if you want a vaccine or not. Every American should legally fight for the freedoms we have.

  21. lgw91s says:
    March 25, 2021 at 4:35 pm

    Why do people feel the need to broadcast to total strangers their very personal decision on whether to accept the vaccine?

    BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO SAVE YOU MAYBE?

  22. gibson45 says:
    March 25, 2021 at 4:08 pm
    “Uh, yeah no thanks. I’m not putting that poison in my body. Y’all can have mine and my family’s. You guys do you, though.”

    Cool, then promise not to seek medical treatment or clog up our hospitals when you contract covid19. Anti-vaxxers don’t deserve treatment.

    ————-

    Where has any hospital been clogged up at any point in time? In all according to the CDC in ages 18-49 only 2.5% of cases require hospitalization. 2.5% From ages 50 to 84 it raises from only 7.4% to 15.8% of cases. Stats don’t lie. There’s no clogging of any hospitals.

  23. I got the vaccine just like millions of other Americans. No complications, no issues, just like the other millions. You should be much more worried about getting in a car than the vaccine.

    Do it for society, for America, for the economy, for your family and be proud that you won’t spread it to anyone that will die

  25. There’s plenty of actual medical doctors not recommending it. Pfizer has JJ both have huge history of lawsuits l. It has nothing to do with anti vaccines it has to do with long term studies. Look at the stuff the FDA has approved only to be unsafe. Johnson and Johnson’s protection percentage isn’t even worth it for younger people.

  26. Amazing how many people are upset at how much smarter scientists are then them.

  27. The vaccines have only been approved through the Emergency Use Act. Most vaccines have to have test periods of up to ten years for server possible side effects down the road before they are FDA approved. These vaccines haven’t been put through the same amount of testing to get approved, hence the Emergency Act. And you can’t sue and company providing a vaccine or the government or the FDA if you do receive severe side effects because they haven’t gotten the 100% approval from the FDA.

    You do what you want, but you have no legal options to pursue if you have a side effect that takes away you ability to work.

    Stay informed

  29. Vaccinate, don’t vaccinate that’s everyone’s choice. What the virus has done is expose how terribly prepared the USA medical people and hospitals are. God forbid a really dangerous virus or catastrophe hit the usa.

  31. The vaccines have only been approved through the Emergency Use Act. Most vaccines have to have test periods of up to ten years for server possible side effects down the road before they are FDA approved. These vaccines haven’t been put through the same amount of testing to get approved, hence the Emergency Act. And you can’t sue and company providing a vaccine or the government or the FDA if you do receive severe side effects because they haven’t gotten the 100% approval from the FDA.

    You do what you want, but you have no legal options to pursue if you have a side effect that takes away you ability to work.

    Stay informed

    ————-

    This is exactly right. That said, if I was over 60 or so, I would gamble on the vaccine. As long as I’m under 60, I gamble on getting covid and recovering. Whatever you do, there’s risk involved.

  33. “”The NFL will not require COVID-19 vaccinations for players, coaches or staff members.””

    Yet.

  35. Making experimental vaccine technology mandatory would be similar to being treated like a lab rat no?

  36. Scaredy Cats afraid of needles. Man up.
    ————————
    Not afraid of needles.
    Afraid of a vaccine that was rushed thru so it could get out to the public.
    NO ONE knows what are the long term effects of this.

  37. BullionGrower NZ says:
    March 25, 2021 at 8:39 pm
    It’s experimental. Nuff said. My brain, my choice….You first!
    ///////
    I received both doses of the Moderna vaccine. I feel great. No side effects other than a mildly sore arm for a day. And now I know I am 100% covered against death from covid.

  38. shaquilleoatmeal says:
    March 25, 2021 at 4:54 pm
    America is the land of the free. Many good men and women fought for your freedom and that includes the freedom to choose if you want a vaccine or not. Every American should legally fight for the freedoms we have.
    ////////
    I don’t think anybody is disputing this, are they? Nobody is making anybody get the vaccine. Now, some employers may require it to keep your job, but you still have the choice to get it or not.

  39. lgw91s says:
    March 25, 2021 at 4:35 pm
    Why do people feel the need to broadcast to total strangers their very personal decision on whether to accept the vaccine?

    ———————

    You realize you’re gonna get a card that you have to present in order to gain access to certain things, right? It’s a personal decision, but it’s by no means a secret, or a sensitive subject you have to handle delicately. You either get it or you don’t, and I don’t think either side of that aisle is bashful about where they stand.

  40. conormacleod says:
    March 26, 2021 at 12:07 pm
    BullionGrower NZ says:
    March 25, 2021 at 8:39 pm
    It’s experimental. Nuff said. My brain, my choice….You first!
    ///////
    I received both doses of the Moderna vaccine. I feel great. No side effects other than a mildly sore arm for a day. And now I know I am 100% covered against death from covid.

    ===============================

    Except that you aren’t. No vaccine ever produced has ever guaranteed 100% efficacy.

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