The Atlanta Falcons have been a punchline in NFL circles in recent years for their on-the-field follies.
But when it comes to one serious matter, they’re No. 1 (and deserve a tip of the cap for their efforts):
We have reached a 100-percent COVID-19 vaccination rate. https://t.co/9stG5womHQ
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 16, 2021
The Atlanta Falcons say they are now at a 100 percent COVID-19 vaccination rate. If accurate, I believe this would make them the first NFL team to be 100 percent vaccinated against COVID-19. Not only is that an important step for the league to have a team at full vaccination, it’s a significant turnaround for the Falcons. If you’ll recall, Atlanta’s football team had the NFL’s first in-season positive COVID test. You might remember that because it came just before the Falcons’ game against the Bears. The team had another COVID-related shutdown a month after that incident. So, in short, it is good to see this news from the Falcons.
Last we heard, the Bears were doing well on the vaccination front. GM Ryan Pace said he thought the team was already at (or above!) the 85 percent organizational vaccination rate. And while the team had a handful of players spend some time on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, everyone was off the list by the time last Saturday’s game began. We’ve discussed the perks, incentives, and competitive advantages of NFL players getting the COVID-19 vaccine on numerous occasions this summer. And we’ve also discussed some of the pitfalls for teams if unvaccinated players/staffers cause a team-wide outbreak and game cancellation. Hopefully the Bears will keep on climbing, both for their own health and safety, and also to avoid any competitive disadvantages.
Ultimately, seeing the Falcons get to that 100 percent number puts some things in perspective for me. Maybe it will do the same for others.