As of June 15, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan, the San Francisco 49ers were still about 25 players away from reaching the 85 percent vaccination threshold that would eliminate several training camp, preseason, and regular season restrictions in 2021.
It is unknown where the 49ers sit now in terms of their player vaccination percentage. However, the team has had a 100 percent vaccination rate among its Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff for a while now.
According to Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press, 10 teams have now met or surpassed the 85 percent vaccination threshold, which means their staffs and players who have been vaccinated for COVID will be able to conduct day-to-day business without masks or social distancing. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, and Denver Broncos are named among those 10 teams. Additionally, about 73 percent of all NFL players have been vaccinated.
Two teams, speculated by Maaddi to be the Washington Football Team and Indianapolis Colts, remain under 50 percent vaccinated. That's an issue with training camps set to kick off in less than a couple of weeks.
The NFL doesn't plan to cancel any games during the upcoming season, and stadiums are expected to be at 100 percent capacity after no or limited fans in attendance last season.
Maaddi notes that starting with training camp, teams will be required to develop a method of visually identifying fully vaccinated staff, whether through wristbands, credentials, or another method.
For players who opt not to get vaccinated, they will be required to undergo daily testing, in addition to wearing masks and social distancing. They could also face quarantines due to high-risk exposure, won't be allowed to dine with teammates, and be restricted from marketing activities.
Vaccinated players will not face those restrictions.
Most players are scheduled to report to their respective teams for training camp on July 27, with most teams able to hold their first practices on July 31.
