Colts: How NFL’s new COVID-19 protocols could affect Indy’s low vax rate
On Wednesday we opened up a can of worms talking about the Indianapolis Colts‘ vaccination rate and how it was among the lowest of all the rosters in the NFL.
It’s none of anybody’s business who decides to get vaccinated or not, but there will be consequences and different guidelines for players who opted against it.
And before you start yelling “HIPAA!”, it’s not a HIPAA violation to know who is and who isn’t vaccinated. Please read the law.
Anyway, later on Wednesday, we learned exactly how the Colts could be affected by not having a majority of the roster vaccinated against COVID-19. The one aspect of it all we elaborated upon was the whole “competitive edge” discussion, but it goes much deeper than that after learning the latest information from NFL insider Tom Pelissero.
The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to updated COVID-19 protocols for 2021 training camp and preseason, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 16, 2021
How different will life by for vaccinated and unvaccinated players? From the memo that just went to clubs: pic.twitter.com/8yMPW0JBWZ
The Colts will be more affected than you think if their low player-vaccination rate doesn’t improve.
If the Colts remain below the 50% threshold, they’re leaving the door open for more limitations. And they could have a divided team! Fully vaccinated players will be able to do their job more freely than non-vaccinated players, as you can see from the breakdown.
Don’t you think being subject to COVID-19 tests every day affects a player’s routine? What about not being able to work out with certain teammates? And most of all, what about having to quarantine after an exposure to COVID-19?
All of that will affect the entire team’s day-to-day in some capacity. It may not always be detrimental or overly invasive, but it can be depending on the scenario.
Another piece of news tucked into today's memo: Halftime shows are back.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 16, 2021
"Fully vaccinated National Anthem and Halftime talent are permitted to perform on the field, provided they access the field from a tunnel that is separate from players."
Whether anybody agrees with it or not, there are disadvantages, at least in 2021, for not being vaccinated. The NFL was serious about implementing measures last season, fining coaches and players for failing to follow various health and safety protocols.
The entire world is dealing with COVID-19. It’s a reality for everyone. You can whine about the restrictions for unvaccinated players, but if they pose a risk to the wellbeing of a single roster or the league as a whole, isn’t that what everyone is trying to prevent?
Also for unvaccinated individuals during travel: No outside guests in hotel room; no seeing friends or family; no using hotel gym, pool, sauna, etc.; minimal eating/drinking on plane.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 16, 2021
So basically ... fly by yourself and sit in your room until kickoff.
The spread of COVID-19 already derailed the 2020 seasons for the NBA and MLB. The NFL had a different situation because games were weekly and there’s much less travel, but there were still absences due to the virus. And when you think about it, it’s even more problematic if a player were to miss time because there are only 17 games in a season. Missing 1-2 games changes a lot, as opposed to an MLB or NBA player missing a handful of contests in a 162-game or 82-game season.
The policy is set in stone. Teams and players will need to adapt if they’re not fully vaccinated. Unfortunately, the Colts might be one of them, and it could set them back.
