Bills head coach Sean McDermott is rarely candid, but one can’t say he’s beating around the bush when it comes to talking about the NFL and COVID-19 vaccine.
In late May, McDermott expressed that he was “concerned” with the way vaccines were going in regard to his own team. Around that same time, it was reported that the NFL was considering dropping COVID safety protocols for clubs that reach a certain number of vaccinated players.
While the NFL has yet to pass such a measure, McDermott did seem a bit more optimistic about the topic on Tuesday.
“I feel better. I feel like we’re moving in the right direction,” McDermott said via video conference from Bills minicamp.
McDermott was not 100 percent satisfied, though. The coach did add he would like to see some better progress from his own team.
“I would like to see our team move in that direction. Continue to move and increase the number of people that are getting vaccinated. Certainly respect everyone’s position, that being said,” McDermott said.
Earlier Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that a similar threshold passed down by New York had been met. Many COVID-related safety protocols would be dropped immediately as more than 70 percent of adults in the state had received a vaccine.
On the state of the world outside of the Bills, McDermott said he does see a “direct correlation” between society opening up and becoming healthier with more and more people receiving the vaccine. Still, he made sure to note the Bills are not trying to force anyone to take it. He said it’s more about an educational approach.
“We’re trying to do our best to educate, build awareness. At the end of the day, the players have to make their own decision,” McDermott said.
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