NFL Vaccine Prospects Face Boot Camp Review

About 70 percent of NFL players are Black, already a racial group. vaccine is suspected and have limited access to itand those whose members are killed at a higher rate by the virus. According to the CDC, only 41 percent of those who receive the vaccine nationally are people of color. Kaiser Family Foundation. Golden said distrust among some NFL players mimicked societal trends.

“We don’t know about their experience of growing or interacting with the health system,” Golden said. “Just because they’re athletes doesn’t mean their experiences don’t have an impact, and I think we have to accept that.”

The team’s general manager, George Paton, said the Denver Broncos were one of the first teams in the NFL to instill 85 percent of their players through a lot of training, discussion and communication.

Last season, senior medical director of infection prevention at UCHealth, Dr. Michelle Barron advised the franchise on Covid-related issues. Since the vaccine became widely available this spring, it has held private information sessions with the team and, if desired, with the families of the players. He also helped coordinate a vaccination clinic at the Broncos’ facility in April. He said the vaccination rates didn’t surprise him.

“From the feedback I got, the important thing for them was to feel like they had the information, to be able to digest it, and then come back and ask smart questions,” Barron said in an interview on Thursday. Said.

As the training camp progresses, unvaccinated players vying for squad points may encounter difficulties. Beasley said at a press conference that unvaccinated young players told him they were afraid of getting cut. Colts general manager Ballard said these decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, but the vaccine issue complicates the process, especially for free agents whose unvaccinated states mean they need to be tested. More often. He said he would try to judge it fairly no matter what.

“Whoever wins the job on the field makes the team,” Ballard said. “I’m not going to take a vaccinated player who doesn’t get the job. What message are you sending to your dressing room?”