By Kevin Long
Staff Writer
Larger Implications
The National Football League has lifted all protocols and restrictions related to the pandemic. As the first major national sports league to do so, this marks a major milestone in society’s return to normalcy. From now on, the only Covid-19 requirements players will be expected to abide by are those recommended by the CDC, including the five day isolation period for those with a positive Covid-19 test — though a lack of required testing will likely mean most cases will fly under the radar.
After a season with numerous instances of player and league conflict surrounding testing, vaccinations and falsifying vaccine cards, this change is likely welcomed by most players. We even saw the return of the NFL Combine most recently — giving fans and teams alike what was usually a crucial part of pre-draft player evaluation. Teams will no longer have to blindly draft players who were Covid-19 opt-outs or who did not perform at a combine, and we will finally have a return of complete pre-draft profiles for all players.
While the story of the NFL lifting all Covid-19 protocols has been a story primarily in the sports world, the impact and implications of this action sends a larger message to all organizations and individuals currently affected by the pandemic. This is likely the beginning of a string of similar storylines in which organizations including other sports leagues, companies, colleges and universities will begin to loosen the restrictions placed on players, employees and students alike.
Where We Go From Here
There is no doubt that the world as we knew it in late 2019 is returning to an extent of the last few months. One of the first things to go at the beginning of the pandemic was the XFL 2020 inaugural football season, and now we are seeing sports finally return — with sports leagues ditching the bubble system and abandoning protocols altogether.
It is hard to say if there will be another strain of the virus which springs up out of nowhere, but for now we get a taste of what life once was. For many, hope for a return to normalcy has been gone since mid 2020 — but now is a time to look towards the future and cautiously accept this return to the status quo.
