NFL declares key team employees, including coaches, who do not get COVID vaccines will lose access to facilities and players NEWS

The NFL announced to teams this week that key employees — except players — will need to get COVID-19 vaccinations if they want to have access to some facilities and work with players. The only exception would be if they can document some sort of medical or religious reason for not getting a shot, Sports Illustrated said Tuesday.

In a memo to all 32 clubs, first reported by the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, league bigwigs told team executives, presidents, GMs, and head coaches that key employees will need to get a vaccine unless they have what the NFL considers a "bona fide" medical or religious reason for not getting one.

Last month, ESPN reported, the league vowed that no NFL employee would be required to get vaccinated as a condition of employment. Strictly speaking, that is still the case; however, any so-called Tier 1 or Tier 2 employees — e.g. coaches, front-office executives, and medical personnel — who choose not to get vaccinated will find it much more difficult to do their jobs: