NFL had one COVID-19 hospitalization during 2021 season

The NFL and NFL Players Association worked to navigate through a second season held amid the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when safe vaccines were available to all players, coaches, and staff members well before kickoffs of exhibition games in August. 

It appears the majority of employees stayed relatively safe from the beginning of preseason action through the start of Super Bowl week. 

According to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills said Monday that the league reported just one hospitalization related to the coronavirus among approximately 7,000 players, coaches and staff members for this season. 

Sills didn't name the individual, but it's known Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Dakota Dozier was hospitalized for one night because of COVID-19 complications in November. Dozier ultimately returned to the lineup later in the season. 

"We clearly saw beneficial effects from the vaccine," Sills explained. "We consistently saw higher rates of COVID among the unvaccinated than we did with vaccinated individuals." 

95% of players are considered vaccinated against COVID-19, while nearly 100% of coaches and staff members are vaccinated. It's unclear what vaccination protocols will be embraced by the NFL and NFLPA for the 2022 campaign, but history suggests discussions on the topic will occur throughout the upcoming offseason.