In preparation for this weekend’s Divisional Round matchups, the NFL has issued a statement to the remaining eight postseason teams regarding the updated cadence for COVID-19 testing.
The Friday memo, obtained by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, informed clubs that neither vaccinated nor unvaccinated players will be subjected to daily testing moving forward.
According to Pelissero, the NFLPA-approved change has been made based on info gathered over the past month on the Omicron variant. NFL and NFLPA medical experts saw a decrease in positive cases during that span, an encouraging sign for the league as a whole following decisions to implement targeted testing and revise the window for players to return from COVID protocol late last year.
All players and tiered staff will now be subjected to enhanced symptom screening, symptom-based testing and targeted surveillance testing, per Pelissero.
Pelissero also noted that individuals on a 90-day test “holiday” after having COVID are still subject to testing if they have symptoms, regardless of their vaccination status. So, while positive tests are near zero right now, it’s still possible a player could miss a playoff game if they’re sick.
Of all the unvaccinated players still on playoff teams, only about a dozen haven’t previously contracted COVID, Pelissero reported, per a source familiar with the situation.
