Maryland governor pressures Lamar Jackson to get vaccinated

The NFL has several protocols in place that aim to incentivize players to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and Lamar Jackson is now facing pressure from an influential politician as well.

Jackson is not expected to return to practice with the Baltimore Ravens until at least Friday after he recently tested positive for COVID-19. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan was asked on Tuesday about Jackson’s positive test, and he urged the former MVP to get vaccinated.

“Lamar’s gotta get (vaccinated),” Hogan said, via WBAL’s Phil Yacuboski. With the rules the NFL put down, I can’t imagine a team wanting to forfeit a game or lose a chance at the playoffs and none of the players getting paid because someone won’t get a vaccine.”

Jackson has to miss a minimum of 10 days of training camp, as he is reportedly not vaccinated. Unvaccinated players who test positive for COVID-19 have to sit out longer than vaccinated players who test positive, which is what Hogan was alluding to.

Since he has tested positive for COVID-19 twice in the last eight months, Jackson may be even less inclined to get vaccinated now due to natural immunity.

The NFL has much stricter rules for unvaccinated players than vaccinated players, which could obviously present a problem during the regular season. One player admitted recently that he got the COVID-19 vaccine only because he felt the NFL left him with no choice.