Vikings Coach QUITS After Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine

Since the NFL’s new rules regarding COVID, players and other members are essentially forced to receive the vaccine.

The NFL just informed clubs that if a game cannot be rescheduled during the 18-week season in 2021 due to a COVID outbreak among unvaccinated players, the team with the outbreak will FORFEIT and be credited with a loss for playoff seeding, per sources.

Massive implications.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 22, 2021

While the vaccine is not mandated, players who are unvaccinated and spread illness can cause their team to face game forfeiture as well as financial penalties.

The NFL announced that Tier 1 employees, or those that interact directly with players, are not allowed to do so if they’re not fully vaccinated.

The Vikings continue to hold discussions with Offensive Line Coach Rick Dennison regarding the NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 Protocols for training camp and preseason games. At this time, Coach Dennison does not have an exemption to the vaccination requirements of those protocols.

Vikings team statement

The Vikings lost one of their coaches, Rick Dennison, after he refused to get vaccinated. His spot has already been filled by Phil Rauscher and Auburn special teams analyst Ben Steele is also being added.

Couple things RE: Vikings statement on Rick Dennison
1. Coaches lose Tier 1 status if not vaccinated – banned from the field, meeting rooms and direct interactions with players.
2. Vikings appear to leave some door open that Dennison could be moved to a different role but the

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) July 23, 2021

Dennison might have been the first coach to leave his team due to the vaccine, but later on the same day, Patriot’s co-offensive line coach Cole Popovich made the same decision.