The Dilemma
With each passing day, the start of the NFL regular season gets closer and closer. The one thing that isn’t changing is some players’ stance on getting the COVID-19 vaccine. These players seem set in their ways as they contemplate the risk and reward of getting the vaccine.
The majority of the players in the league are vaccine with a league-wide vaccination rate of 90%. The other 10% are wary of the vaccine for a variety of reasons. Understandably, 100% vaccination is unlikely unless mandated by the NFL.
At this moment, getting the vaccine isn’t mandatory, but it is highly encouraged by the CDC and other health care officials. The vaccine is supposed to eliminate the risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19 that would require hospitalization.
NFL players, however, are different from most people and are more adept at dealing with COVID given their physical traits and condition. COVID-19, on the other hand, is a serious matter that has cost millions of people their lives.
While the NFL hasn’t decided if getting vaccinated should be a league-wide mandate for players and coaches, those who aren’t vaccinated could have it alter their career in many ways compared to those who have listened to the CDC and got vaccinated.
The NFL has stated that a team cannot make a roster decision based purely on vaccination status. How can something like vaccination status not be a determining factor when two players have performed relatively close? A decision needs to occur regarding that roster spot. In most cases, the player who is vaccinated will be picked based on his vaccination status.
In sports, people value players by the simple quote, “the best ability is availability.” That stands true in this instance. A player can’t be dependable if they are injured and unavailable to play. That injured only affects one person. Contracting COVID-19, however, because you aren’t vaccinated could affect the entire team. That is where the complicated part of this lies in regards to the players.
People like to say the NFL stands for “Not For Long” as the average career lasts 3.3 years. That’s the average, and it’s safe to say that an NFL career is much shorter than that. The unvaccinated players are putting their livelihood at stake while adding another obstacle to overcome to last in the league.
The majority of NFL players have taken it upon themselves to get vaccinated. The players who haven’t are potentially putting their careers on the line if they aren’t vaccinated. Those that aren’t vaccinated have to make the hardest decision of their career. You either get vaccinated or potentially risk throwing it all away. That’s the dilemma that could save or ruin players’ careers.
