With the NFL season just a few weeks away, the league is looking to tighten up its COVID-19 protocols. Last year saw numerous games get canceled and rescheduled which proved to be an absolute nightmare for the league, the teams, and the players. Now, however, the league is going with a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to the vaccine. For instance, if a team experiences an outbreak amongst unvaccinated players, they will have to forfeit the game and no one will get paid.
This new rule has created a testy discourse across the league as players like Deandre Hopkins and Leonard Fournette have tweeted their disapproval. They feel as though their future in the league is being tested, and there are various other players who aren't happy about this new reality.
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Now, coaches are being affected by the rule as well. According to ESPN, all staff members on each team must be vaccinated and if they refuse, they can be fired. Today, such measures became necessary as Minnesota Vikings offensive line and run-game coordinator Rick Dennison was fired after refusing to accept the vaccine. Dennison is 63 years old and has been a staple of the league for 27 years. Regardless, rules are rules and he is now out of a job.
As the offseason moves forward, this is a reality that could hit various other coaches in similar positions and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out in the end. Be sure to keep it locked to HNHH as we will continue to bring you updates from around the NFL.
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