NFL Reports Just Under 70% Of Players Are Vaccinated

About 68% of NFL players have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero gave a vaccination update 20 days before most NFL teams report to camp and said five teams have 85% or more players with at least one shot, 68% of players league-wide have at least one shot, and said the national rate is 67.1%, and 53% among men 18-39.

While players are exempt, Tier 1 and Tier 2 staffers are still required to get vaccinated, and Pelissero reports that virtually all Tier 1 and 2 personnel are vaccinated.

Coaches and other staff who aren’t fully vaccinated won’t be eligible for Tier 1 or 2 status and will not be allowed to work directly with players. Pelissero said the "clock is ticking to get fully vaccinated or be under heavy restrictions in camp and preseason."

A few notable players have pushed back against the league’s protocols and expressed hesitancy regarding the vaccine, which has created issues for certain teams. Bills' Cole Beasley said he doesn't plan on getting vaccinated, Bengals' Joe Mixon expressed frustrations with new league rules, and Panthers' QB Sam Darnold said he's still doing research.

The NFL is incentivizing players to get their shots through means like providing vaccinated players who test positive for the virus their per-game roster bonuses. Any unvaccinated player who tests positive and misses time runs the risk of losing the bonus money.