Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera told reporters last week that he was "beyond frustrated" with his team's low COVID-19 vaccination rate entering training camp, citing his own immune-deficiency after battling cancer last year as one of his concerns.
Whether or not Washington sees a considerable and encouraging uptick in vaccinations, NBC Sports NFL columnist Peter King empathizes with Rivera, and finds the franchise's situation disappointing.
"I literally was shaking my head last night writing my column, couldn't believe I was writing about members of the WFT, with a coach who could get seriously, seriously ill if he catches COVID because he's still recovering," King told the Tiki and Tierney show on Monday. "He's still weak from his battle with cancer from last year. And you've got a bunch of guys on that team -- 10, 12, I don't know how many, but quite a few -- who are not vaccinated and who will not get the vaccine.
"Can you imagine your coach pleading with you, saying, 'I really, really need you to get vaccinated' and them just shrugging their shoulders and saying no? I mean, for what reason? Tell me what reason there is... A religious exception, that's one thing. But these aren't religious exceptions. I don't know what they are..."
In a memo released on July 22, the NFL informed its teams that if a game can't be rescheduled and is canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players, that team will have to forfeit, and be credited with a loss. The league memo also stated that neither team's players will be paid for a game that's cancelled and unable to be rescheduled.
According to multiple reports, 89.4-percent of all players have received at least one vaccine dose -- a 9-percent jump from last week -- and 22 teams have more than 90-percent of players vaccinated, including nine with more than 95-percent vaccinated. Washington and the Indianapolis Colts were the last two teams to surpass the 50-percent threshold, and Washington just recently climbed over the 70-percent mark.
Vaccinated players who test positive for COVID-19 can return to their teams immediately after testing negative twice, while unvaccinated players will be required to isolate for 10 days, the league memo says.
Washington currently has seven players on its reserve/COVID-19 list.
The entire conversation between King and Tiki and Tierney can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Tiki and Tierney Show on Twitter @TikiAndTierney and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.