Teams on which 85 percent of players are vaccinated will receive relaxed COVID-19 protocols for this season. Still, vaccination rates aren’t climbing quite as fast as the NFL and its teams likely had hoped.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that a sixth team topped the threshold Thursday.
The Steelers, Dolphins and Saints previously were reported to have crossed the 85 percent threshold. The other three teams are unknown.
The league-wide vaccination rate now is over 69 percent, according to Pelissero.
A important deadline comes Monday when a player would need to get a second shot (or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine) to be fully vaccinated by the time most teams report to camp July 27.
Virtually all Tier 1 and Tier 2 personnel are vaccinated throughout the league. Coaches and other football staff are in the Tier 1 and Tier 2 category. If those individuals choose not to get the vaccine, they are prohibited from working in person with players.
Players are not required to be vaccinated but face COVID-19 protocols if they choose not to do so. Those restrictions include a mandatory mask mandate at the facility, not being allowed to eat in the cafeteria with teammates and being forced to remain in the team hotel during any off time for road games.