The National Football League’s Players Association has opened an investigation into the Jacksonville Jaguars coach for saying that a player’s vaccination status was considered when cutting players.
George Atallah, the assistant executive director for external affairs for the NFL, said an investigation had been opened following a statement made by Urban Meyer, the coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars who told reporters on Tuesday that a player’s vaccination status was considered during the process of cutting players, according to ESPN.
“Everyone was considered,” Meyer said. “That was part of the production: Let’s start talking about this, and also, is he vaccinated or not? Can I say that that was a decision-maker? It was certainly in consideration.”
HERSCHEL WALKER BRINGS TOO MUCH BAGGAGE TO THE GEORGIA SENATE RACE
The Jacksonville Jaguars said Wednesday there are vaccinated and unvaccinated players on the team and that players were cut based on their ability to help the team win, not based on vaccination status.
“We educate our players and respect personal decisions as it pertains to the vaccine,” the Jaguars said. “We want to keep our players, staff and families safe as we comply with protocols related to both health and safety and competition on game days.”
The NFL has enacted different protocols for players based on vaccination status in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. Vaccinated players only need to be tested once a week. If positive, they cannot play for a 10-day period unless they receive two negative polymerase chain reaction tests separated by 24 hours. Unvaccinated players must get tested every day, and if positive, they must go through the entire 10-day period of no play before completing a three-day return-to-play protocol.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The coronavirus pandemic has also prompted the NFL to take precautions for fans. In August, the Las Vegas Raiders announced they would require fans attending in-person games to show proof of vaccination or else submit to inoculation at the stadium. The city of New Orleans is also requiring football fans to get vaccinated to cheer on the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome, the Times-Picayune reported last month.
Representatives for the NFL and the NFLPA did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s requests for comment.
