The NFL is reportedly trying to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for players, which could have a large impact on the Minnesota Vikings this season.
It’s widely known that Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has not received the COVID-19 vaccine. However, he is one of multiple Vikings players that have still not received a full dose of the COVID-19 vaccination as the team gets ready for their first regular-season game that is less than a month away.
A few weeks ago, we wrote about how multiple Minnesota players would rather quit the team than receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Well, these players might be presented with a scenario in the near future in which they have to choose to either get vaccinated or don’t play in 2021.
The NFL is reportedly trying to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for players and if this happens, the Vikings could potentially see multiple big-name departures from their roster this year.
Avoiding the COVID-19 vaccine might not be an option for Minnesota Vikings players anymore
During a conference call on Thursday, NFL general counsel Larry Ferazani said that the league has been trying to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for players and that the NFL would, “love to see that mandate go into effect tomorrow,” if they could, according to NFL Media’s Tom Peliserro.
If the league is able to figure out a way to madate the vaccine for players, it could have a tremendous impact on the amount of success Minnesota is able to have in 2021. Especially since the Vikings are still a team that has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the NFL.
If faced with the choice of getting vaccinated to play this season or quit, would Cousins take his more than $140 million in career earnings and sit out all of 2021?
Would some of the other Minnesota players that aren’t vaccinated also choose to not play during the upcoming season if a mandate is put in place by the league?
Of course, a vaccine mandate by the NFL would also have to be agreed upon by the NFLPA. Currently, the NFLPA does not want there to be a mandate for the vaccine.
But if things change during the next few weeks and a vaccine mandate is actually put in place, the Vikings might be the team in the league that experiences the biggest impact.