The Jacksonville Jaguars said Wednesday in a statement that they did not release any players because of COVID-19 vaccination status, one day after head coach Urban Meyer indicated otherwise.
“Availability is one of the many factors taken into account when making roster decisions. We have vaccinated and unvaccinated players on our roster, and no player was released because of their vaccination status,” the team said in the statement. “Ultimately, decisions are based on a player’s ability to help the Jaguars win. We educate our players and respect personal decisions as it pertains to the vaccine. We want to keep our players, staff and families safe as we comply with protocols related to both health and safety and competition on game days.”
Meyer said on Tuesday that he and general manager Trent Baalke took a player’s vaccination status into consideration during final roster cuts.
Meyer’s comments did not go over well with the NFL Players Association. George Atallah, the assistant executive director for external affairs for the NFLPA, told ESPN via email that Meyer’s statements “have led us to open an investigation.”
A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the Jaguars currently are among the top five NFL teams in terms of most unvaccinated players on the roster.