The Pfizer COVID vaccine recently received full FDA approval but, according to the latest NFL rumors, this will not change the league’s vaccination policy. In other news, Baltimore Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley says that he’ll be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, while Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones went on the radio and urged players across the league to get vaccinated.
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NFL Rumors: COVID Protocols, Ronnie Stanley, Jerry Jones
COVID Protocols Won’t Change With FDA Approval
Earlier in the offseason, the NFL and NFLPA agreed that player vaccinations would not be mandatory for the 2021 NFL season. At the time, the COVID-19 vaccine had yet to receive full approval from the FDA, and recent reports suggest that the new approval will not have any effect on the NFL’s policy.
Citing “a source with knowledge of the dynamics between the league and the NFL Players Association”, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio says that there is no chance the NFL updates their policy. Players have the right to avoid vaccination, but they will have to follow separate protocols, as recently evidenced by Cam Newton, Cole Beasley, and Gabriel Davis.
These restrictions appear to have done a solid job at increasing the NFL’s vaccination rate. According to recent reports, close to 90% of all NFL players are vaccinated, which is well above the national rate. This number should continue to rise with FDA approval and as teams trim down their roster. While teams aren’t allowed to cut players because of their vaccination decision, it’s safe to say that vaccination status could be a tiebreaker for guys on the roster bubble.
Ronnie Stanley Ready to Go In Week 1
The Baltimore Ravens offensive line is going to look a bit different in 2021. After trading Orlando Brown to the Kansas City Chiefs, the team signed Alexandro Villanueva to take his spot. Additionally, Baltimore also brought in Kevin Zeitler to play right guard. Change is always difficult for an offensive line, but one piece should remain the same. According to the man himself, left tackle Ronnie Stanley will be “full-go” for Week 1’s matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Stanley, of course, is coming off of a season-ending ankle injury. Originally suffered in early November, the left tackle has yet to see the field for any meaningful action. When at his best, Stanley is one of the best left tackles in the league, and the Ravens need a reliable option protecting Lamar Jackson’s blindside.
A milestone day for Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley, who was a full participant in practice for the first time in training camp.
Saturday is the team’s last chance to get him some game reps before Week 1.
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) August 23, 2021
In addition to Villanueva and Zeitler, the Baltimore Ravens are still figuring out what to do at left guard. Communication between guard and tackle is obviously important, but Stanley isn’t sweating the little details. Saying that “we’re going to figure it out and we’re gonna work through it”, the former First-Team All-Pro believes that communication will not be an issue when the games start counting.
Jerry Jones Talks Vaccination
Even with vaccines not being mandatory, it’s safe to say that NFL owners want as many players vaccinated as possible. In addition to making a better, healthier world, it also increases the odds of a full, uninterrupted season with fans in the stands.
During his weekly radio segment, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked what he would say to players that are still unwilling to receive the vaccine. Jones responded by saying “[t]o me, this is a team game. We rely on each other to play…you have to count on the other guy being available, and you certainly don’t want to be doing anything that causes your teammates to not be available”.
“Everybody has a right to make their own decisions regarding their health and their body. I believe in that completely until your decisions as to yourself impacts negatively many others. Then, the common good takes over…We have got to check ‘I’ at the door and go forward with ‘we.’”
So far, the Dallas Cowboys have delivered on Jones’ message. The team vaccination rate currently stands at 93%, which is one of the better marks in the league. In addition to being older and highly at-risk for COVID, Jerry Jones also has millions of financial reasons to hope his team and fans get vaccinated.
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