Life in the NFL is about to be very different for unvaccinated players. They will still have to deal with getting up very early, to take COVID-19 tests. Other players are able to get into team facilities with no issues.
For the Cowboys, it looks like a lot of players haven’t been fully vaccinated, as the league wants an 85% vaccination rate for teams. Now, Cowboys legend, Michael Irvin, is fed up that the team hasn’t gotten to this point. He even believes that this will affect them from winning games.
“If you’re not one of them teams [at the threshold], are you really thinking about winning a championship?” asked Irvin at the opening of the Dallas chapter for Merging Vets & Players. “You see what I’m saying,” he said. “OK, so now if you’re not getting vaccinated and you got all these other teams that are getting vaccinated …”
“Somebody in that damn locker room [should say], ‘Hey man, we’re going to have a chance, are you vaccinated? Let’s go through this because this could be a two-week healthy dude missing games, and in this league, this ain’t the NBA. In this league that could be it for you. The right person misses two weeks, that’s it. Your ass is out.”
As of now, 13 teams have hit that 85% vaccination rate. This week, Cowboys training camp also kicks off. Unvaccinated players will not be able to leave team hotels, have to wear masks, and be distanced from people at team facilities. Vaccinated players can eat with other teammates, and don’t need to wear masks.