CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Members of the Chicago Bears reported to training camp Tuesday and practices start Wednesday with the team saying it’s feeling good about COVID-19 vaccinations.
Bears General Manager Ryan Pace said 85% of the players are vaccinated.
"We feel really good about it the way it's gone. The way it's trending," Pace said during a press conference.
Bears Coach Matt Nagy echoed the general manager's sentiments.
"We really went through this process and live by the encourage and educate. As we all see, everyone has different opinions on what they want to do," Nagy said.
Nagy noted that being vaccinated is more convenient since the unvaccinated have to follow strict protocols.
Ron Rivera, a former Bears player and Washington Football Team coach, said he is bothered that his team has a vaccination rate of just over 50%.
"I'm beyond frustrated," Rivera said.
The unvaccinated have to wear masks and be tested daily and they're barred from having meals with teammates among other restrictions.
There are steep fines for violations. If an outbreak among the unvaccinated leads to a forfeit, players lose pay and, in some cases, that could be a million dollars.