On December 13, 2021, the NFL released a memo to all teams in the league announcing that all Tier 1 and 2 personnel must now receive a Covid booster shot by December 27.
This announcement came on the heels of 37 players testing positive for Covid-19 on December 13, which represented a new record since the league enacted testing protocols in 2020.
Earlier on July 28, 2021, 24 players tested positive for the virus.
On December 13, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that a Tier 3 allegedly tested positive for the Omicron variant of Covid. Per league guidelines, Tier 3 employees are not allowed to be in close contact with players.
Tier 1 personnel consist of players, coaches, physicians, trainers, and essential personnel who must be in direct contact with players.
Tier 2 personnel include general managers, front office staff and other football operations employees.
While players fall under the Tier 1 personnel classification, they will not be featured in the booster mandate because the requirement must first be negotiated with the NFL Players Association.
If Tier 1 and 2 staff do not follow the new booster mandate, they will lose their vaccination status. The NFL requires this vaccination status.
In the offseason, several teams had to fire or reassign coaches and staff who did not receive vaccinations.
In November, the NFL started preparing for an increase in a spike in Covid cases by announcing increased testing and indoor mask requirements between November 25 and December 1, irrespective of vaccination status.
The NFL did so in anticipation of personnel meeting up with friends and family for Thanksgiving.
So far in the season, the NFL has not canceled or postponed games because of a Covid outbreak that renders teams unable to have enough players on the field.
Nevertheless, the NFL, like other mainstream sport leagues, has bought into the COVID-19 hysteria and is doing its part to condition people into embracing these controversial procedures.
With the exception of the UFC, there are few sports promotions that are genuinely resisting the COVID biosecurity state.
