Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Four NFL teams remain under 50% vaccinated for COVID-19 less than two weeks from the start of training camp, a person familiar with the vaccination rates told The Associated Press.
Washington, Indianapolis, Arizona and the Los Angeles Chargers had the four lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the league as of Thursday, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the league hasn’t released the numbers.
Pittsburgh, Miami, Carolina and Denver have the highest vaccination rates and are among 10 teams that have achieved at least 85%. About 73% of players have been vaccinated. Teams on the lower end of the vaccination table face potential competitive disadvantages.
The NFL doesn’t plan to cancel any games this season, the person said.
In a memo sent to clubs last week and obtained by the AP on Thursday, the NFL, in conjunction with the National Football League Players Association, updated protocols to allow teams traveling to joint practices to have their daily maximum of Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals. The traveling party will be either 100 or 140, depending on the club’s vaccination percentage. The club must limit the number of individuals traveling on the team transportation to 85 but may travel additional Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff up to the applicable daily Tier limits separately to attend the practice.
Also, beginning at the start of training camp, teams will be required to develop a method to visually identify fully vaccinated Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals.
Utilizing color coded wristbands or credentials are recommended but clubs are free to implement other methods.
Last month, the NFL and the players’ union updated protocols to loosen restrictions for fully vaccinated players and to encourage others to get the vaccine.
Unvaccinated players must continue to get daily testing, wear masks and practice physical distancing. They won’t be allowed to eat meals with teammates, can’t participate in media or marketing activities while traveling, aren’t permitted to use the sauna or steam room and may not leave the team hotel or interact with people outside the team while traveling. Vaccinated players will not have any of those restrictions.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
Well at least the Colts have a string of Super Bowl victories to make up for it….. oh, wait…..
But…. at least they’ve paid for their own stadium and I don’t have to pay higher taxes to subsidize it…… oh, wait…..
Quote: But…. at least they’ve paid for their own stadium and I don’t have to pay higher taxes to subsidize it…… oh, wait…..
OMG; we agree on something, Matthew!
People that don’t get vaccinated are selfish. It’s going to result in all of us wearing masks again as more variants occur. More variants more cases more deaths especially for those that don’t get vaccinated. The vaccine works. Don’t listen to the traitor GOP’s.
This is a bad take
Mark B, Indy is a blue city and the Colts are not shining white so blaming it on GOP’s is, well, typical of idiots and hypocrites, otherwise known as progressives. The same progressives who scream “my body my choice”.
Spot on, James P. As far as I can tell in Indy / Marion County, it seems that most of those who refuse to get vaccinated are clearly NOT GOP supporters.
Traitor Donald Trump instead of continually complaining about the bogus big lie, should be encouraging everyone to get the vaccine. The vaccine works and the highest new cases are predominantly in red states.
The Colts organization has dropped the ball on this one. Nobody can be forced to get the vaccine but proper education/peer pressure and leadership should get the job done. This is an embarrassment. Fans that pay thousands of dollars to see these guys play will be deservedly upset when players miss games.
“Peer pressure “
Lmao bad take
As always, Woke athletes are only woke when the cameras are rolling and it suits them.
Probably can’t happen, but they should be benched and lose$$$.
They are being selfish
Can’t make them get vac, but when the team has to sit a large number of players and gets thumped they should be let go. Of course this team is often the bright light of hypocrisy when it comes to many issues.
Wow…. what a disappointment.
Ballard and Irsay need to respond ASAP. It never should have gotten to this point. Anybody not vaccinated who misses a game should be fined a games pay. But wait the players union has no backbone.
Despicable! Young people are in ICU because they cannot get the vaccine. Selfish people, such as unvaccinated colts, are making others sick and even dying. Someone needs to let them know that there is no microchip in the vaccine.