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The NFL shook things up on Thursday, announcing that the league would not reschedule a game if a COVID-19 outbreak spiked among a team's unvaccinated players.
The team will have to forfeit the game and will be credited with a loss. Additionally, they will also lose their game checks for that week. The team will also bear financial losses and could face discipline from the NFL Commissioner's office.
The new policy could potentially push NFL team owners to have stern words with players who plan on not getting vaccinated. While most teams will have no issues complying with the rules, a few could run into some trouble.
Let's look at the three NFL teams that could be impacted the most by the new vaccination policy.
Which teams will be impacted the most by the NFL's new vaccine policy?
#1 - Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are one of four NFL teams that have a vaccination rate of under 50%. But that isn't the biggest concern for the team.
Cardinals star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins hinted at a possible retirement because of the new policy. If the Cardinals were to lose Hopkins, that would significantly hamper their playoff hopes. Hopkins seems pretty firm on his decision to not get vaccinated. Arizona must act quickly to ensure they retain their star wide receiver for the upcoming season and beyond.
#2 - Washington Football Team
The Associated Press reported last week that the Washington Football Team has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the NFL. That should alarm the team because the NFC East is wide open and they cannot afford to forfeit a game.
Last season the division title came down to Week 17 with Washington playing in a must-win situation. Under the new policy, Washington would be taking a significant risk heading into the new season with a low vaccination rate.
#3 - Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis is another NFL franchise that is hovering around the 50% mark. The Colts are entering their first season with Carson Wentz under center. They, too, cannot afford to forfeit a game.
The AFC South will be extremely top heavy this upcoming season. Jacksonville has a rookie quarterback and head coach. The Texans are without Deshaun Watson and don't seem to have a replacement.
That leaves the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts to battle it out for the division. Risking an outbreak that could potentially determine whether they make the playoffs or not is a risk the Colts can't afford to take.
