Between the coronavirus and its wicked stepsisters Omarion Omicron and Delta, it’s hard out here for an immune system—but especially difficult when you have multi-billion dollar sports entities to protect.
Case in point, the NFL is having a particularly difficult time keeping its players away from strip clubs COVID-19. And between Monday and Tuesday of this week alone, at least 75 players (the final number is closer to 100) tested positive for the virus, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter.
This is what we call “all bad.”
Of the NFL’s 32 teams, the Cleveland Browns (11 players and head coach Kevin Stefanski), Los Angeles Rams (13 players), and Washington Football Team (17 players) seem to be catching the wrath of the coronavirus the worst, with a combined 41 players in the league’s health and safety protocols as of Thursday morning.
In comparison to the league’s 2020 season, things have run relatively smooth thus far as the NFL continues to adapt to the ongoing pandemic. But should this trend of rampant outbreaks continue, the league could be in a world of hurt and end up having to postpone (or even outright cancel) games like it did in 2020—which we all hated.
To combat this contagious gift that keeps on giving, we previously reported that the NFL has tightened up its protocols and is now requiring just about everyone who doesn’t wear a uniform to get the COVID-19 by Dec. 27.
From USA Today:
The league issued a memo to its teams on Monday evening instructing all Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff members that they are required to receive the booster by December 27 if six months have passed since they received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, and if two months have passed since they received the Johnson & Johnson shot.
If they do not receive the booster, those employees will lose this vaccination status, which is a requirement from the league for employees of the Tier 1 and 2 designation.
Coaches and trainers fall in that Tier 1 category. General managers, front office members and other football operations staffers are Tier 2 employees.
“On November 29, the CDC issued a study showing that the effectiveness of the approved COVID-19 vaccines may decrease over time and has recommended that all eligible vaccinated individuals over the age of 18 should receive a booster shot,” the league wrote in its memo. “Given the increased prevalence of the virus in our communities, our experts have recommended that we implement the CDC’s recommendation.”
But while things aren’t going particularly great for the NFL, other leagues are also suffering from their own dance with the Omicron devil.
After 10 Chicago Bulls players (and counting) contracted the coronavirus, the NBA was forced to postpone the team’s games against the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors—which is especially bad news if you bought tickets to either game. There’s also the fact that big names like James Harden (as well as six other Brooklyn Nets teammates) and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo have the heebie-jeebies, too.
And per ABC News, things aren’t looking too hot over in the NHL either:
More than 140 NHL players have been on the Covid protocol list this season—including more than two dozen since Monday.
The league on Monday postponed the Calgary Flames next three games after six players and a staff member entered the league’s Covid-19 protocol over a 24-hour period.
The NHL postponed three Ottawa Senators games in mid-November because of the team’s virus outbreak. Other games postponed last month include the New York Islanders games at the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers, according to NBC New York.
At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before our immune systems unionize and revolt.
Stay safe out there, y’all. And please, wear your damn mask.