Report: Over Half of NFL Players Have Received First COVID-19 Shot

Even amid public hesitancy by its players, the NFL is reportedly making encouraging progress on the COVID-19 vaccine front.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, more than half of NFL players have received at least their first shot. In addition, 30 clubs have at least 95% of their Tier 1 and 2 staff members fully vaccinated. The remaining two teams are each over 90% vaccinated.

Pelissero does note that player vaccinations efforts have been slower than those involving other staff members, but that 16 teams have 51 or more players fully vaccinated or in the process of becoming so.

Other NFL vaxx stats so far:

30 teams have 95%+ Tier 1/2 staff vaccinated; the other two are 90%+

16 teams have 51+ players fully vaccinated or in the process

No surprise player vaccinations have lagged behind staff. NFL, NFLPA continue to talk on COVID protocols for camp.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 15, 2021

The league’s promising vaccine data comes a week after Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold and Washington defensive end Montez Sweat both expressed their own hesitancy towards getting vaccinated.

The league will not require players to get vaccinated, but has achieved encouraging participation through a combination of education and incentives. Fully vaccinated players can ditch masking, testing and vaccination protocols, while unvaccinated individuals will have to continue trudging along with them for the foreseeable future.