REPORT: Panthers Among 10 Teams with at Least 85% of Players Vaccinated
The NFL is encouraging all players, coaches, and other personnel to get vaccinated prior to the start of the 2021 season to prevent the spread of COVID-19. At this time a year ago, there was no vaccine made available to the public which forced the NFL to put strict protocols in place to ensure the safety of the players and everyone involved on game day.
COVID-19 cases have dropped significantly since last year due to millions of people getting vaccinated. However, the Delta variant of the virus becomes the new concern as health officials are stating that it is more transmissible and more lethal to those of all ages.
According to Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press, the NFL is not planning on canceling any games this season regardless of how many players are available for a team on any given week. This will give teams with a higher percentage of their roster being vaccinated a slight advantage. They won't have to worry as much about having guys being ruled out due to a positive test or contact tracing. Although it is a personal decision to get vaccinated, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and the Panthers medical team spoke with the players earlier this offseason about getting vaccinated.
“I don’t tell anybody ‘Do it.’ I’ve told our team this is better for our team if we’re vaccinated,” Rhule said following day two of minicamp. "We’ve certainly given our players a lot of information. We certainly presented it like ‘Hey, this is what we’d like the team to do.’ But at the same time, it’s a personal decision for each guy.”
I encourage our team to get vaccinated,” he said. “There’s clearly going to be a benefit to have vaccinated players and be at a point where you don’t have to have the same regimen that we have otherwise. So, it’s clearly going to be a competitive advantage to have teams that are more vaccinated than less vaccinated.”
Also according to Maaddi's report, the Panthers are among seven teams with at least 85% of their roster vaccinated. Pittsburgh, Miami, and Denver are also listed as teams who have crossed the 85% mark.
Those who are not vaccinated will still have to comply with the NFL's strict health protocols while those who are vaccinated will have lesser restrictions.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Brian Burns Sends Out Warning to Opposing Offenses: 'Pick Your Poison'
Predicting Where the Panthers Will Finish in the NFC South
Could Jeremy Chinn be the Shohei Ohtani of the NFL
Is Daviyon Nixon the Hidden Gem of the 2021 NFL Draft Class?
You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us on Twitter:
Facebook - @PanthersOnSI
Twitter - @SI_Panthers and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.
