As NFL Playoffs Proceed, Only @10 Unvaccinated Players Remain

The most prominent anti-vaccination NFL football player, Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, was eliminated from contention last night as his team lost in a shocking upset which pleased his many critics. He is the only QB in NFL history to have lost four playoff games to a single opponent.

With six teams left today - and four left after today's games are played - it is estimated that only 10 or 11 unvaccinated players remain to potentially play in the Super Bowl in three weeks, and that number will decrease further once the two final teams are decided next weekend. JL

Kevin Seifert reports in ESPN:

95% of players and nearly 100% of staff members are vaccinated. With only six teams left in the playoffs, there are roughly 11 unvaccinated players remaining. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose 90-day testing exemption following a positive case was set to expire is no longer one of them after his team's loss last night. From Dec. 12 to Jan. 8, 756 players and 478 staff members tested positive. The majority were asymptomatic, according to the league, prompting a shift away from daily testing.The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to halt daily COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated players, aligning them with protocols developed last month for vaccinated players and coaches. 

In a memo sent Friday afternoon to teams, the league said it would add unvaccinated players to its existing symptom screening and testing surveillance programs. Anyone who reports symptoms will be tested. 

The NFL's most recent COVID-19 data release reported that 95% of players and nearly 100% of staff members are vaccinated. The change will apply to a small group of people. 

With only eight teams left in the playoffs, there are roughly 12 unvaccinated players remaining, a source told ESPN. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose 90-day testing exemption following a positive case was set to expire soon, is one of them. 

In the memo, the NFL wrote: "This comprehensive, symptom-based approach to testing reflects our recent experience with the omicron variant and conforms to current public health recommendations and best practices employed in healthcare, and offers the best opportunity for identifying and treating cases promptly and avoiding spread within the facility." 

The NFL began experiencing an omicron-fueled spike in mid-December. From Dec. 12 to Jan. 8, 756 players and 478 staff members tested positive. The majority were asymptomatic, according to the league, prompting a shift away from daily testing.

 

From Sept. 5 to Dec. 11, the NFL averaged 19,253 tests for each two-week testing period. From Dec. 26 to Jan. 8, 12,491 tests were administered.sses.