Despite our Covid fatigue, especially in the sports world, we at least have football back in full force and full stadiums. Yes, several coronobros have spoken out against full stadiums, but a lot of the complaints come with a great deal of hypocrisy.
OutKick on Twitter: "Hypocrite jerk Rex Chapman is up to his usual hypocrite jerk things. https://t.co/thAtB1HO8R / Twitter"
Hypocrite jerk Rex Chapman is up to his usual hypocrite jerk things. https://t.co/thAtB1HO8R
While Rex was enjoying a mask-free, full stadium a few months ago, he was criticizing college football of the same. However, we are here to talk NFL, which is having its own dispute between the players union and the league.
The players union claims the league did not discuss making COVID-19 vaccines a requirement to play this season, despite mandating inoculations for staff and coaches. “We’ve been discussing with the players’ association mandatory vaccination from the start,” NFL General Counsel Lawrence Ferazani told reporters.
A spokesman for the NFLPA, Brandon Parker, stated the union “didn’t believe a mandate was necessary” and that “a more reasonable approach with the players would resonate.” Speaking to Reuters, Parker also said “We believed that a mandate would not be in the best interest of the players because of the better approach of education,” Parker said via email. “We prefer everyone get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families, but our union respects the choice of players.”
Currently, the league plans to test unvaccinated players daily and vaccinated players weekly. Data shows 11% of the US never plans to get vaccinated, and another 16% of the unvaccinated said they are not totally against it. Both categories include players in the NFL. “It’s just a microcosm of what’s being played out in the larger society,” said NFL agent Leigh Steinberg. “It’s not like many minds are being changed in this situation.”
Let's just hope this NFL season does not spiral out of control with mass players sitting out and empty stadiums.
~Michael Patrick Day, Irish Proud & 12oz Sports Writer
References
Main article photo: https://unsplash.com/@hencetheboom
Reuters (2021). New NFL season kicks off amid rift over COVID-19 vaccines, testing. Retrieved https://sports.inquirer.net/435805/new-nfl-season-kicks-off-amid-rift-over-covid-19-vaccines-testing
