With training camps less than three weeks away, an interesting date is approaching regarding vaccinations. Any player who has not received two vaccine doses, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, by Monday will not be considered fully vaccinated by camp. But the number of players who have taken that step continues to increase.
Six teams have hit the 85 percent vaccination threshold, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. This includes the Broncos, who have seen nearly 95 percent of their 90-man roster receive one or two vaccine doses, according to Mike Klis of 9News.
As a whole, the NFL’s player base has surpassed the 69 percent vaccination threshold, Pelissero adds. This is up from 65 percent two weeks ago. Geared around players’ vaccination decisions, this season’s COVID-19 protocols create two sets of rules. Teams who reach high vaccination levels will have advantages.
Players who choose not to be vaccinated — a right the NFLPA collectively bargained, but teams’ Tier 1 and Tier 2 staffers are required to do so — must take virus tests daily once camp starts and will face the prospect of missing multiple games if they test positive. Nearly all Tier 1 and Tier 2 personnel are vaccinated, per Pelissero. Coaches fall under this umbrella; a coach must be fully vaccinated to be allowed to work directly with players.
The league’s high-risk close-contact policy still applies to unvaccinated players, who, like last season, would need to isolate for five days if they are classified as such. Teams with lower vaccination rates will also need to create social distancing setups for their unvaccinated sects of players; this will pertain to meetings and affect weight-room policies.
The Dolphins, Saints and Steelers joined the Broncos in being around the 85 percent threshold in late June, and the Jaguars and Panthers had progressed to near that rate at that point. Twenty-nine teams begin training camp July 27.
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