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If any unvaccinated player violates the COVID-19 protocols, they will be subject to a hefty fine by the NFL.
According to the league rules, unvaccinated players will pay $14,650 every time they violate any COVID-19 procedures.
As the reigning champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers report for training camp, Bruce Arians said that any player who violates the protocols would be fined. However, this is not a rule made by Arians; the NFL stipulated the fine, as confirmed by league spokesperson Brian McCarthy to ESPN.
Vaccinated players will be almost completely free from any COVID-19 protocol regarding social distancing, masks and interaction inside venues players may gather. Unvaccinated players, however, will have to adhere to social distancing rules just like 2020.
NFL vaccine policy controversy
Getting a vaccine shouldn't be a major issue, but NFL players are somehow making it a big deal.
Popular players like DeAndre Hopkins, Cole Beasley and Leonard Fournette have tweeted against the protection jab, saying that the NFL is forcing them to do so with a memorandum sent to teams regarding possible outbreaks with unvaccinated players. Hopkins and Beasley even talked about retirement.
The main takeaway from the memorandum is that, if the NFL can't reschedule a game because of an outbreak between unvaccinated players, the team responsible for the outbreak will forfeit the game.
Players from both teams will also miss their weekly paychecks.
Coaches are also the subject of controversy. As Tier 1 employers, the NFL mandates they get the vaccine to attend training camp, practices and work during the season. Rick Dennison, offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings, and Cole Popovich, co-offensive line coach for the New England Patriots, have already vacated their jobs as they won't get the vaccine.
List of unvaccinated NFL players
The number of players saying they won't get the vaccine only grows bigger by the day.
For example, teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with close to 85% of its roster fully vaccinated by final roster cutdowns, have seen players like Leonard Fournette and Antonio Hamilton actively saying on Twitter they won't take the vaccine.
Cole Beasley has been vocal about not taking the jab at Buffalo, going as far as saying "they'll have to cut arguably the best slot receiver in the league, because I won't retire." Other players like Montez Sweat and Matthew Judon have criticized the NFLPA because of the COVID-19 restrictions put in place by the league.
