Colts’ Carson Wentz Won’t Say If He Got Vaccine. Why It Matters to Eagles

Wentz punts on vaccine question; why it matters to Eagles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

As the Eagles opened up training camp on Wednesday, Howie Roseman said the Eagles are in the process of getting over 90% of their players vaccinated and Jalen Hurts confirmed he has indeed gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, former Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz punted on the vaccine question, calling it a personal decision:

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Let's get this out of the way: Carson Wentz declined to say whether he is vaccinated and was wearing a mask when speaking to vaccinated reporters today.

Is what it is. We're not asking these questions to pry. We're asking bc the starting QB's vaccination status matters. A LOT.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) July 28, 2021

It is, of course, a personal decision. But these personal decisions in the NFL world are going to affect others. If Wentz is unvaccinated it could ultimately hurt the Colts, as well as the Eagles’ chances of getting a first-round pick in 2022.

As a reminder, one of these two things needs to happen for that second-round pick from the Wentz trade to turn into a first-rounder in 2022:

1. Wentz plays at least 75% of the Colts’ offensive snaps this season

2. Wentz plays at least 70% of the Colts’ offensive snaps and the Colts make the playoffs

Casting aside any personal feelings on vaccinations, there’s no arguing that the NFL has clearly incentivized vaccines. Teams reaching a certain threshold are granted more freedom and there are also ramifications for individuals.

NFL.com reports that there are very different rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated players for the 2021 season. There are day-to-day limitations for unvaccinated players but the biggest hurdle comes if a player tests positive for COVID-19.

If a vaccinated player tests positive for COVID and is asymptomatic, he can return after two negative tests 24 hours apart. But if an unvaccinated player tests positive, 2020 rules apply, which means a 10-day isolation period.

So, basically, a vaccinated player could potentially not miss a game in a week where he tests positive but an unvaccinated player could miss at least one and as many as two games if he tests positive.

And if a vaccinated person comes in close contact with an infected person, they will not need to quarantine. An unvaccinated person who comes in close contact will be subject to a five-day quarantine window, which could force players out of games.

The Colts in 2020 averaged around 68 offensive snaps per game. The good news is that even if Wentz were to miss two games and play every other snap, he’d still be comfortably over the 75% mark — he’d be at over 88%. But Wentz has obviously dealt with some injuries during his career, so there’s no guarantee he’ll make it through the season healthy.

This is something the Eagles will be tracking all season.

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