Vikings star CB Patrick Peterson encourages players to get COVID-19 vaccine shots

Earlier this month, Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer told reporters that players who remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 "are going to have a harder time in the season" because they will have to follow stricter health and safety protocols than those who get jabbed. 

Eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson signed with the Vikings during the offseason and echoed those comments during a recent edition of his "All Things Covered" podcast. 

"Why not put yourself in the best position possible to win a championship?" he said about players choosing whether or not to get vaccinated, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. 

He also discussed the possibility of unvaccinated players missing games due to testing positive for the virus or being deemed high-risk close contacts of an infected person. 

"If you’re not vaccinated you’re just living in a different world," he added. "Why put yourself at risk of going through that again?" 

Peterson is fully vaccinated and said he felt "perfectly fine" after receiving the vaccine.

On Friday, MLB and the MLB Players Association announced 85.4% of the league's Tier 1 and Tier 2 employees are considered fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills said Friday that 65% of that league's players have received at least one vaccine shot.