National Football League
How the NFL's COVID policy will impact the ability to build a winning team
National Football League

How the NFL's COVID policy will impact the ability to build a winning team

Published Jul. 26, 2021 11:19 a.m. ET

By Randy Mueller
Special to FOX Sports

There is no getting around the fact that the National Football League is strongly recommending players get vaccinated, without actually mandating it by rule. 

As a result, unvaccinated players are becoming burdensome to their vaccinated teammates as well as to team-builders who are trying to bring together a large group of men and, oh yeah, win football games. 

The NFL spoke loudly last week by sending a memo to each team outlining the new COVID-19 guidelines. There is really no middle ground. It’s clear the league does not want to cancel or reschedule games in 2021, and it will come down hard on those who cause such disruptions. 

ADVERTISEMENT

The NFL is a private entity that can act as it pleases. There are several states scrambling to create laws regarding employment and business discrimination with regard to COVID protocols and vaccines. But for now, what the NFL league office says goes.

With its memo, the league has put teams and players on notice regarding games affected by a COVID outbreak caused by unvaccinated players. If a game cannot be rescheduled within the 18-week season, the game will be forfeited, the offending team will be tagged with a loss, and neither team's players will be paid.

That got everyone’s attention.

The fallout spilled over to the coaching world Friday, when Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Rick Dennison refused the vaccine and was basically sent home and replaced. Similarly, the New England Patriots let go co-offense line coach Cole Popovich.

Tier 1 personnel — coaches, front-office executives, equipment managers and scouts — by league standards are required to be vaccinated. No doubt this policy will be challenged in court and many lawyers will be involved. 

That part is above my pay grade. How this all affects a team’s ability to win games, however, is well within the lane I occupied during my time as an NFL general manager.

Changing coaches the week training camp opens is never ideal. The distractions and adjustments that it causes can have ripple effects. I don’t view these vaccination decisions by individuals as a political statement, but in what I consider the ultimate team sport, doing what is best for the team has to factor in at some point. 

It’s a personal choice, I get it. Unfortunately, in this NFL environment of team-first, our freedom of choice does not come with freedom from consequences. The league and its teams cannot risk an outbreak or fail to take every precaution possible.

This is now the underlying topic in every NFL franchise operations department. So much so that teams are figuring out how to police their non-vaccinated personnel. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians recently told the Tampa Bay Times that he would fine any unvaccinated player $14,000 (allowed by CBA) any time he is not wearing a mask in an area where it's required. 

Arians has a Super Bowl champion team, and he’s not going to let a preventable breakout ruin his chances of repeating.

I applaud the leadership of those NFL teams that are making this a non-issue. According to reports, the Seahawks lead the league, having more than 90% of their players vaccinated. The Chiefs, Broncos, Falcons, Bucs, Dolphins and Steelers are also among league leaders in vaccinating their players and staff. The Seahawks are of special note because they had zero positive tests last season, an unbelievable feat in itself. 

Sixteen teams are said to be 70% or higher in vaccination rate. But some teams might never reach that total.  

Therein lies the rub in every NFL locker room.

It’s the job of general managers around the league to hear out players and staff, but the message has to be clear: If we want to win — and that’s really all this league should be about — we can’t let politics interfere. 

If there is a legitimate reason (and the league has said this as well) for a player or Tier 1 staff member to not get vaccinated, we now have guidelines to handle those cases. The burdens that teams face to handle these issues can surely derail a plan to have the total focus on football. 

If not handled the right way, the vaccination decisions can also create a divided locker room. We have already seen examples of players handling it in their own ways, and it has become a bit of a hot potato.

It’s such that some players now won’t even reveal if they have been vaccinated or not, worried about the rift it might cause within their own ranks. Recently, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott wouldn't declare his vaccination status. He pointed to HIPAA, but anyone can disclose anything about their own health. 

It just shows that players are worried about how getting vaccinated will be reacted to in the locker room by unvaccinated players, or vice-versa.

Others have taken their vaccination stance public. Bills WR Emmanuel Sanders recently tweeted: "Accountability. Availability. Don’t have time to deal with no bs during the season. #Chasinggreatness" Sanders made it known that he received his vaccination and was proud to share this fact.

Meanwhile, Sanders' teammate, WR Cole Beasley, has spoken out against the vaccine and the league's COVID protocols.

Point is, it’s an emotionally charged topic that will burden those who are building NFL teams. Some teams have made it clear that they will not be interested in any back of the roster players who are not vaccinated. 

Suffice to say that if I were a borderline roster/practice squad player, I’m would be getting a vaccine, especially since teams can carry 16 players on the practice squad again this season.

It’s going to take some strong and respected leaders to keep these ships afloat. Much like in 2020, any NFL team that can keep drama to a minimum, or at least keep it in-house, minimizing distractions, should benefit on the field. 

It might be a new season, but similar to last year, NFL decision-makers will be tasked with keeping a group of people together under extraordinary circumstances. 

Just when we thought we were out of the COVID woods, we've already found out that 2021 will be no different.

Randy Mueller is the former general manager for the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins. He spent more than 30 years working in NFL front offices as a talent evaluator. Follow him on Twitter or at muellerfootball.com.

share


Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more