The NFL has now unveiled their new COVID-19 protocols, and needless to say, there are plenty of NFL players who are not happy about them. First of all, these new measures put heavy restrictions on some of the things that unvaccinated players are allowed to do. Moreover, these strict coronavirus measures were agreed upon by the NFL Players Association, and that frustrated many professional football players as well.
When the NFL released their COVID-19 protocols on Wednesday of last week, they dictated what coaches and staff must be vaccinated. Players themselves have the option of being vaccinated. While that’s all well and good, the problem is that unvaccinated players have far more severe restrictions than their vaccinated counterparts. Those that have been vaccinated are almost to pre-pandemic rules, as a matter of fact.
Here is the rundown of these new rules for unvaccinated NFL players:
Unvaccinated players are going to have to undergo COVID-19 testing every single day, while those who are vaccinated will not.
Unvaccinated players will need to wear their face masks at the facility and during team travel, while vaccinated players can forgo this.
Unvaccinated players will have travel restrictions, but vaccinated players will not.
Unvaccinated players will not have the ability to leave their hotel to get food from a restaurant and they are not allowed to interact with anyone from outside of the team. However, there are no such restrictions being placed on unvaccinated players.
Unvaccinated players will need to practice social distancing while eating, but vaccinated players will be able to be as close as they want when they are eating.
Unvaccinated players are going to be banned from the steam room and the sauna, but vaccinated players are still permitted to use these facilities.
Unvaccinated players have weight room limits, but vaccinated individuals will not.
Unvaccinated players will lose out on extra income since they will be banned from social/media/marketing/sponsorship activities, while vaccinated players are permitted to do so.
“Those who are not fully vaccinated, including players, will be prohibited from gathering outside club facilities or team travel. NFL players who are not fully vaccinated will be barred from going to nightclubs, bars, house parties, concerts, etc,” the league stated.
Failure to follow the new rules could result in fines of $50,000 for a first offense.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley is definitely taking issue with these new regulations, calling the NFLPA’s new rules “crazy” and asking if whether anyone voted on this or not.
“I stay in the hotel,” he said. “But we still have meetings. We will all be together,” Beasley said on Twitter. “Vaccinated players can still go out of the hotel and bring COVID back to where I am anyway. So what does it really matter if I stay in the hotel now? Am I 100 percent immune with vaccination? No.”
“So what is it that we are really talking about? Yes, I understand completely why the NFL is trying to do this,” he tweeted. “It is going to give them back the freedom to make the most money as possible again if everyone has been vaccinated. But will anybody fight for the players or nah?”
“This players association is a total joke,” he continued. “We should call it something different. It’s not for the players. Everyone gives me the 98 percent of people who are vaccinated don’t get COVID again. The odds of me getting in the NFL and playing for a decade are lower than that, but I’m still here.”
The reporters proceeded to ask Beasley why he didn’t want to get vaccinated, and he responded, “Why does it matter what my reasoning is? It’s a personal choice. That means that I shouldn’t have to explain to anyone why I do what I do. It should be just like everything else in my life.”
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon also slammed the NFL Players Association for the tremendous amount of rules that they are placing on unvaccinated players even though they are betraying their true mission.
“The @NFLPA is not for the players. They claim that they represent us but they clearly show us time and time again that is not the case,” Mixon said. “I really thought football was a team sport but it’s clearly being individualized by beliefs instead.”
Mixon clarified that he is absolutely not against vaccines or anyone who should get vaccinated. “I love everybody and I show love to everyone whether they are vaccinated or not. I RESPECT EVERYBODY who wants to get the vaccine or not. I’M NOT AGAINST EITHER! I WILL FIGHT & DIE FOR A RESPECTED DECISION.”
Of the NFL’s 32 franchises, 16 teams have 51 or more players who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to NFL network’s Tom Pelissero.
Washington Football Team coach Ron Rivera noted that he estimates that at least 50% of his players have gotten the coronavirus vaccine, and he said that there were even a few more who were planning on getting vaccinated after the brought in an infectious disease professor from Harvard to discuss the ramification of the COVID-19 vaccine.
However, there was one Washington Football Team player who was not convinced: Defensive End Montez Sweat.
“I can’t say I’m a fan of it,” Sweat said in regards to the coronavirus vaccine last Wednesday. “I probably won’t get vaccinated until I get more of the fact and that kind of thing. I’m not a fan of it at all, and I haven’t caught COVID yet so I’m really not sure whether I should actually treat it until I actually get COVID.”
Finally, unvaccinated fans will still be allowed to attend training camps, but they will still have to practice social distancing and remain at least 20 feet away from players and team staff at all times.
What do you think about these NFL players balking at these new orders for those who have been unvaccinated?
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