Unvaccinated players face stricter protocols, and if deemed a high-risk close contact or test positive for COVID-19, they would miss substantial time.
Urban Meyer commented during a press conference Tuesday that a player's COVID-19 vaccination status was taken into consideration for the Jaguars' roster cuts.
"Everyone was considered," Meyer said. "That was part of the [considerations such as] production, let's start talking about this, and also is he vaccinated or not? Can I say that that was a decision maker? It was certainly in consideration."
There's a significant difference in COVID-19 protocols between vaccinated and unvaccinated players. If deemed a high-risk close contact or test positive for the virus, an unvaccinated player would miss substantial time compared to a vaccinated player.
Per a report from the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, fully vaccinated players and staff members will be tested every week while unvaccinated players will reportedly be required to take a COVID-19 test every day at the club facility.
If a vaccinated player tests positive, they are required to be out for 10 days unless they receive two negative PCR tests separated by 24 hours. Meanwhile, positive unvaccinated players must be out for the 10 days and face a three-day return-to-play protocol.
The league did not update to its COVID-19 close-contact protocols, per Pelissero. Fully vaccinated individuals will not be designated high-risk close contacts, but unvaccinated must test immediately. Even if they return a negative test, they will miss five days.
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