NFL will allow fully vaccinated individuals to test for COVID-19 weekly, not daily

The NFL is further incentivizing those who decide to receive the COVID-19 vaccine amid the 2021 offseason program.

Not all NFL players will need to continue testing daily for COVID-19, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Pelissero reports the league and its Players Association are in agreement that those who are fully vaccinated can test for the coronavirus on a weekly basis.

Fully vaccinated individuals won’t need to undergo the re-entry testing process following any sort of travel (like last year). They additionally won’t be required to quarantine if they’re a high-risk close contact of a positive COVID-19 test. If you can remember, a number of players around the league needed to miss games last season due to being high-risk close contacts.

Here’s the full NFL memo, which says league and NFLPA medical experts will monitor the impact of these changes and consider additional modifications as vaccination levels increase. Fourteen teams have already held vaccination events. pic.twitter.com/OMVa2AjqoV

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 23, 2021

The league is still sticking with the idea that it will not mandate the vaccine for anyone.

Pelissero additionally reports that fully vaccinated individuals will need to continue wearing masks/face coverings.

The NFL’s offseason program commenced Phase 1 this past Monday, but no on-field work is set to begin until Phase 2, which starts May 17. Regardless, the NFL Players Association is recommending players don’t attend voluntary in-person workouts this offseason due to the lingering pandemic along with continued health and injury-related risks.

The mandatory minicamp is set to take place within Phase 3, which will last from May 24 until June 18.

Players from many different teams around the league have already exercised their CBA rights to opt-out of the voluntary in-person workouts this offseason, including individuals from both the Giants and Jets.