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WOW: If unvaccinated players cause a COVID outbreak and cancellation, NFL teams will forfeit games (that cannot be rescheduled).

The NFL, to its credit, has been able to take a step back and see how other professional sports leagues have dealt with playing during a COVID-affected season.
And, as last year, it appears like the league is planning to put what it has gathered to good use: Here’s more from today’s message, which also states that the team responsible for a postponed game due to an epidemic among unvaccinated players/staff will be responsible for financial losses and may face commissioner discipline.
AMAZING! — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021 pic.twitter.com/Q86a2WcG1K
The NFL is on top of things.
I wasn’t sure how much more the league could do beyond pushing people to get vaccinated, but it has.
Actions have ramifications.
In the event that a game is canceled because to a team COVID epidemic, inaction on the part of players, coaches, and personnel could have serious consequences.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, clubs that have to cancel a game due to a COVID epidemic in their locker room face losing game checks, incurring penalties from the league office, and possibly even forfeiting a game in the standings.
Putting that on the table isn’t much more serious than that.
Will the message now be heard loud and clear?
Only time will tell if this is true.
And, yes, a part of me wishes the league had launched this campaign months ago.
It could have been easier to get more players vaccinated if it had been done before the start of training camps.
But I suppose it’s better late than never.
Perhaps the league and its teams will be able to administer immunizations to players at camp as a result of this?
In any case, the NFL deserves credit for drawing a line in the sand before the start of the regular season.

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The new COVID-19 standards in the NFL have significant consequences for teams with high and low immunization rates.

For 2021, the NFL has a new rule: Get immunized or get bent.
In 2020, the NFL contended with COVID concerns, which resulted in numerous games being rescheduled but none being canceled.
Going into 2021, the league intends to put a little more pressure on players who refuse to obtain the coronavirus vaccine.
The NFL announced on Thursday that if a team suffers a coronavirus outbreak due to unvaccinated players and the game cannot be rescheduled during the 18-week season, the game will be forfeited, causing extra problems for both teams.
To summarize, if an outbreak of unvaccinated NFL players forces a game to be canceled, the infected club forfeits, loses playoff seeding, faces financial penalties, and possible extra sanctions if protocols are broken – Players on both teams are not paid More https://t.co/sTZlI57cdz — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021
NFL Now on @nflnetwork on the league’s amended COVID-19 policy influencing game scheduling
pic.twitter.com/StfP4HsMLW — Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 22, 2021 Particularly significant is the fact that both teams engaged in the canceled encounter will lose game checks, not just the team that triggers the outbreak.
The team will be given a forfeit defeat, while the opposing team will be given a playoff-eligible victory.
Since the coronavirus (and now the Delta form) continues to spread throughout the country’s population, the new league rules reaffirm the league’s hard stance on requiring its players to get vaccinated ahead of the 2021 season.
The NFL cites the CDC and vaccination data as confirmation of the vaccine’s effectiveness across the country, including lower hospital rates and deaths among vaccinated people.
While vaccination rates for all 32 NFL clubs aren’t made public, the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Football Team are said to have two of the lowest rates in the league, with percentages under 50 percent.
Despite the team sending in immunization specialists to discuss the benefits of the vaccine, Washington defensive lineman Montez Sweat has been vociferous in his opposition to it in recent months.
Teams with immunization rates of 85 percent or higher are given more flexibility in team facilities, among other perks.

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NFL News

COVID-19 outbreaks might compel NFL teams to forfeit games.

Aug 8, 2019; Green Bay, WI, USA; The NFL logo on goal post padding prior to the game between the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL has implemented a number of policies to encourage players and club personnel to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine, and reluctance to do so might now be the difference between a victory and a loss.
The NFL announced its preparations for dealing with coronavirus outbreaks during the 2021 season in a memo sent to teams on Thursday.
The most important message was that if a game cannot be played due to a COVID-19 epidemic among unvaccinated players, teams may be compelled to forfeit.
The NFL has no plans to add a 19th week to accommodate rescheduled games, which means that any rescheduled games will have to be played during the 18-week season.
Otherwise, the team that caused the epidemic will be given a defeat.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Networks released more information from the document, which indicates that teams experiencing outbreaks may face disciplinary action as well as financial losses.
If a game cannot be played, players will not receive their game checks.