Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer on Wednesday told reporters that it will be "so much easier" for players this season to perform team duties and have freedom if they are vaccinated, a foreshadowing of a league memo released later in the day.
Vaccinated players only need to get COVID testing every two weeks, don't need to wear masks or quarantine even after exposure to high-risk contacts. They will enjoy a lot of freedom they didn't have in 2020.
Those who haven't received the COVID-19 vaccine will be subject to daily testing and can be fined more than $10,000 if they violate various protocols.