NFL Announces New Covid-19 Policy, Games Unable To Be Rescheduled Will Be Forfeited

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The NFL has made its policy in a memo sent out to all 32 teams stating that any teams that have a Covid-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players will have to forfeit games that cannot be rescheduled, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports.

Unlike last season, no games will be rescheduled for the end of the season. Along with this new strict policy, players on both teams will not be paid for the lost contest. The team responsible for the cancelled game due to unvaccinated players will also have to cover financial losses and be subject to potential discipline from the Commissioner’s office.

This upcoming season will be played in 18 weeks instead of the original 17-week season. The league insisted it will not mandate vaccinations, however the NFL’s restrictions in place for non-vaccinated players and potential penalties to teams are as strict as ever. Vaccinated players or staff who test positive and are asymptomatic can return to duty after two negative tests 24 hours apart, according to the memo put out this week. For non-vaccinated persons who test positive, the 2020 protocols remain in place, requiring a 10-day isolation.

“If a game is cancelled/postponed because a club cannot play due to a Covid spike among or resulting from its non-vaccinated players/staff, then the burden of the cancellation or delay will fall on the club experiencing the Covid infection,” the memo states. “We will seek to minimize the burden on the opposing club or clubs. If a club cannot play due to a Covid spike in vaccinated individuals, we will attempt to minimize the competitive and economic burden on both participating teams.”

Below is the opening statement of the NFL’s memo:

“This will summarize key operating principles relating to addressing the continuing Covid-19 threat for the 2021 season. We will review these principles and related matters on the 32-club call this evening. These principles are based on last season’s experience and follow discussions that we have had with a number of league committees, medical experts, outside advisors, and many of you. As we learned last year, we can play a full season if we maintain a firm commitment to adhering to our health and safety protocols and to making needed adjustments in response to changing conditions.

“These operating principles are designed to allow us to play a full season in a safe and responsible way and address possible competitive or financial issues fairly. While there is no question that health conditions have improved from last year, we cannot be complacent or simply assume that we will be able to play without interruption – either due to Covid outbreaks among our clubs or outbreaks that occur within the larger community. These principles are intended to help inform decisions, recognizing that, as in 2020, we will need to remain flexible and adapt to possibly changing conditions.”

Steven Boero
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