Will new COVID protocols come in place for NFL players?
As it did last year, COVID is making a significant impact on the NFL and the way the league goes about its business of balancing competitive play with the health and safety of its players, coaches, and even fans.
Yesterday, the league saw 37 players test positive for COVID-19. This is the worst outbreak since the onset of the pandemic back in the spring of 2020.
Some of those players included Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Washington Football Team defensive lineman Jonathan Allen.
There has also been the first case of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 diagnosed in the league (a staffer for the Washington Football Team).
With the worst outbreak in a single day of testing for the NFL, the league is looking to take new measures to help slow down positive COVID diagnoses.
37 NFL players on COVID list
The National Football League has apparently reached its breaking point with the recent outbreak of COVID running rampant throughout its teams, players, coaches and team staffers. With 37 players testing positive for COVID on Monday, the league has decided to take action.
According to NFL insider Mike Garafolo, the league has now instituted a new COVID protocol that requires all Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff to have the vaccine booster shots.
From @gmfb: As we saw a single-day record 36 players placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the NFL is requiring booster shots for Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff. We’ll see what changes might come for the players. https://t.co/YA8Z47dcfz
For now, there has been no word on what's next for players. As for the staffers, they are to have the booster vaccines done by December 27 of this year (which is in two weeks).
Full memo from the NFL requiring boosters for staffers by Dec. 27 here https://t.co/9ggY4LxRBu
The NFL has decided that they must take the lead by being one of the first leagues to decide whether to mandate vaccine booster shots.
Last year, at the height of the pandemic, many games were delayed and postponed in an effort to protect players and coaches from contracting the (often times) deadly virus.
For the first time in the 2020-2021 NFL season, games were oddly played during a weekday that was not Monday or Thursday. This was done in order to preserve and protect those that may have been exposed.
Although it was different for all teams, it was something that the league felt needed to be done to protect against contracting the deadly disease.
The NFL, led by commissioner Roger Goodell, has tried to be as transparent as possible with their decisions concerning COVID and the processes in which they have implemented strategies to best manage the effects of the ongoing pandemic and its impact on the league.
Also Read: How often are NFL players tested for COVID?