1:17
- ABC News
- August 20, 2021
NFL preseason kicks off amid vaccine culture wars
The debate within the NFL about vaccination is a microcosm of the U.S.
1:17
Seattle Seahawks cornerback D.J. Reed tweeted last month that he didn't want to get vaccinated but gave in because the NFL and the NFLPA \"made getting the vaccine a competitive advantage\" and he did not want to \"hinder\" his teammates.
J.C. Tretter, president of the NFL Players Association, said in a statement that although \"we believe the vaccine is both safe and effective, players have the choice whether to take it or not. Unlike among the NFL coaching ranks or in other businesses, the vaccine is not mandated for NFL players.\"
According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert and chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, although there are some breakthrough cases among vaccinated people because \"no vaccine is 100 percent effective,\" but those cases are \"mostly mild or without symptoms,\" whereas the unvaccinated \"are the ones that are vulnerable to getting severe illness that might lead to hospitalizations and in some cases death.\"
\"We have 100 million people in this country who are eligible to be vaccinated who are not getting vaccinated. We are seeing an outbreak of the unvaccinated,\" Fauci told ABC News' \"This Week\" earlier this month. \"… the unvaccinated, by not being vaccinated, are allowing the propagation and the spread of the outbreak which ultimately impacts everybody.\"
On the fence
The NFL said earlier this month that 90% of its players are either fully vaccinated or have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but some have remained non committal.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/lamar-jackson-ap-jc-210819_1629412023861_hpEmbed_3x2_384.jpg\")
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has contracted COVID-19 twice, said that while he is considering getting the vaccine, it's a \"personal decision\" and one that he's consulting with his doctors about.
A statement from WR Cole Beasley: pic.twitter.com/MWNEHC9Dgv
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) July 28, 2021
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley, one of the most outspoken critics of the vaccine policy, told reporters in July that he is \"not anti or pro-vax,\" but is \"pro-choice\" and that he believes it is too soon to know if the vaccine, which does not have full FDA approval yet, is safe.
\"Without having all the proper information a player can feel misguided and unsure about a very personal choice. It makes a player feel unprotected,\" he said.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/cole-beasley-gty-jef-210818_1629321304346_hpMain_4x3t_384.jpg\")
According to the CDC, \"Serious side effects that could cause a long-term health problem are extremely unlikely following any vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination.\"
In addition, Fauci said last week that he is hopeful that the FDA will fully approve the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the month.
The NFL's vaccination policy for coaches is even stricter.
Tier 1 and 2 employees -- including coaches, trainers, assistant coaches and operations employees -- who don't get vaccinated would not be allowed to interact with players in person, the NFL announced in June. And barring a religious or medical reason for opting out, would lose their Tier 1 status and would not be able to have face-to-face contact with the players.
The protocols already led to two coaches parting ways with the NFL over these vaccination guidelines, according to ESPN.
Threading the needle
Asked about the lingering hesitancy to get vaccinated, Dr. Fauci lamented the \"unfortunate\" political divide over the vaccine.
\"There's this ideological divide that we have where people for reasons that are not based on public health principles who do not want to get vaccinated -- libertarian feelings, feelings of not wanting to be told what to do,\" Fauci told \"GMA3\" last Thursday. \"It's so unfortunate because we're dealing with a public health crisis and you address a public health crisis by public health principles. Ideology, divisiveness has no place in this and yet in many areas it seems to dominate.\"
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/nfl-mask-sign-gty-jc-210819_1629412023863_hpEmbed_12x7_384.jpg\")
Granderson said that by not making vaccines a requirement, the NFL is trying to \"thread the needle\" on a divisive issue.
\"Trying to please both sides means you don't please either, you know, you end up with two disappointing sizes, sides. So what the NFL needs to do is take a stance, heavily rooted in science and move on,\" he added.
Some teams like the New Orleans Saints are requiring fans to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test before attending games. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders became the first team to mandate vaccination for fans, setting up vaccination sites at the stadium and allowing entry to the newly vaccinated if they wear masks.
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