NFL: 68% Of Players Vaccinated

JULY 7: This number has ticked up a bit over the past two weeks. Approximately 68% of players have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Five teams have hit the 85% threshold. Nearly all Tier 1 and Tier 2 staffers are fully vaccinated.

JUNE 25: Approximately 65% of NFL players have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to NFL medical officer Allen Sills (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). That’s roughly in line with the rest of the United States, though it’s well above the 48% rate for Americans ages 18-24 and 50% rate for ages 25-39.

When factoring in the youth of NFL players, Sills & Co. are ahead of the game. Still, the league office is hoping to push that number closer to 100%, even though players are not required to get vaccinated.

A few notable players have pushed back against the league’s protocols and expressed hesitancy regarding the vaccine, which has created issues for certain teams. Meanwhile, the NFL is incentivizing players to get their shots. For example, if a vaccinated player somehow tests positive for the virus, they’ll still receive their per-game roster bonuses. However, if an unvaccinated player tests positive and misses time, they’ll run the risk of losing their bonus money.

While players are exempt, Tier 1 and Tier 2 staffers are still required to get vaccinated. And, on a related note, players will once again be allowed to opt out of the season.

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