NFL Teams With Unvax’d Players To Forfeit Games, Incur Financial Liability During Outbreaks
The NFL has notified clubs that if there’s a COVID outbreak among unvaccinated players, teams who can’t reschedule during the 18-week season will forfeit the match, be credited with a loss, and potentially incur financial liability and discipline from the commissioner.
According to the NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero, the league intends to play its entire 272-game schedule over 18 weeks, and ‘does not anticipate adding a ’19th week’ to accommodate games that cannot be rescheduled within the current 18 weeks of the regular season.”
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
In short, all players need to be vaccinated unless teams want to risk running afoul of the new guidelines.
More via Pelissero:
- 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.
- “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.”
- “If a club cannot play due to a Covid spike in vaccinated individuals, we will attempt to minimize the competitive and economic burden on both participating teams.“
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
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