In a memo sent to teams on Thursday afternoon, the NFL made clear that teams will face serious sanctions if a COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players on their team makes playing a game untenable. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that unlike last year, when the league shuffled games seemingly every week, teams will not be afforded that luxury during the 2021 campaign.
Should teams face a situation where unvaccinated players cause an outbreak among their team, the memo said, that side will not just forfeit, they will be forced to accept a loss while the other team is given a win. Beyond that, the team would both be responsible for the financial losses they face and could see a punishment come their way via NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
The NFL just informed clubs that if a game cannot be rescheduled during the 18-week season in 2021 due to a COVID outbreak among unvaccinated players, the team with the outbreak will FORFEIT and be credited with a loss for playoff seeding, per sources.
Massive implications.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021
Here’s more from today’s memo, which also says the team responsible for a canceled game because of an outbreak among unvaccinated players/staff will be responsible for financial losses and subject to potential discipline from the commissioner. Wow. pic.twitter.com/Q86a2WcG1K
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021
More strong language from today's NFL memo:
"Every club is obligated under the Constitution and Bylaws to have its team ready to play at the scheduled time and place. A failure to do so is deemed conduct detrimental. There is no right to postpone a game."
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021
Further, the league explained that a game that doesn’t happen for this reason would lead to players on both teams not getting their game checks.
And the biggest penalty of all for players:
"If a game is cancelled and cannot be rescheduled within the current 18-week scheduled due to a Covid outbreak, neither team’s players will receive their weekly paragraph 5 salary."
You read that right: NOBODY GETS PAID.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021
The league also adjusted its policies for vaccinated players who suffer breakthrough cases of COVID while simultaneously justifying this approach by pointing to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, along with other healthcare experts.
Other key competitive aspect of today's memo:
Vaccinated individuals who test positive and are asymptomatic can return to duty after two negative tests 24 hours apart.
Unvaccinated individuals still subject to mandatory 10-day isolation period.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021
As for the justification for continuing to increase benefits for vaccinated individuals, the NFL cites CDC data and major hospital systems: pic.twitter.com/jsucxurRnU
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021
It is unclear if the Player’s Association will push back against any of this, but it is clear that the league has zero intention of letting unvaccinated players get in the way of being able to have this upcoming season go off as smoothly as possible. If you are an unvaccinated NFL player — or, really, just any unvaccinated person in America — click here to learn where you can go to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
