Just under two weeks ago, the NFL’s chief medical officer Allen Sills said that 65 percent of the league’s players had received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Now with training camps starting at the end of the month, that number has gotten a little higher.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, 68 percent of players league-wide have now received at least one shot. As Pelissero points out, that outpaces the national rate of 67.1 percent and is well ahead of the national rate of 53 percent for men between 18-39.
Pelissero also reports that there are five teams on which 85 percent of players have received at least one shot. Plus, virtually all Tier 1 and Tier 2 personnel are vaccinated throughout the league.
The Steelers, Dolphins, and Saints were previously reported to have crossed the 85 percent threshold.
Coaches and other football staff are in the Tier 1 and Tier 2 category. If those individuals choose to not get the vaccine, they’re unable to work in person with players. That put an urgency on coaches to get vaccinated.
Players are not required to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but will face heavy restrictions if they choose not to do so for training camp and preseason games — including having to wear a mask at the facility, not being able to eat in the cafeteria with teammates, and not being able to leave the team hotel for road games.