Big 12 commissioner urges football players to get COVID-19 vaccine shots

Practically every top-tier sports entity operating last fall, including Big 12 football, experienced disruptions, postponements and cancellations linked with the COVID-19 pandemic.

During Wednesday's media day sessions, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby explained players will again be tested for the coronavirus and urged those hoping to participate in the upcoming campaign to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots if they haven't already been immunized. 

"We are certainly, as we go forward, encouraging student-athletes to get vaccinated. ... Frankly, anyone not getting vaccinated is taking unnecessary risk. And that's not just student-athletes, that's anyone in our society," Bowlsby said, according to Dave Wilson of ESPN.

Bowlsby continued: "For a student-athlete, you're rolling the dice on whether or not you can participate [if you're not vaccinated]. You're going to be in a testing protocol." 

Neither the Big 12 nor NFL are mandating players be vaccinated, but both leagues will have unvaccinated individuals work under strict guidelines similar to those used during 2020 seasons. As Grant Gordon of the NFL's website noted last month, the league is not considering fully vaccinated individuals exposed to infected persons "high-risk close contacts" as it did throughout the 2020 campaign and the winter's playoff tournament. High-risk contacts must isolate for a minimum of five days, per the NFL's current policy.