Atlanta Falcons FIRE scout who refused to get COVID-19 vaccine: Dismissal is believed to be the NFL's second over shot mandate for team coaches and staff
The Atlanta Falcons have fired scout Rodrik David over his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to a team statement, Falcons owner Arthur Blank mandated that all regular full and part-time associates in his business empire receive the vaccine. The policy was announced in August and took effect Friday.
'Through the months of August and September, the company worked through the process with associates,' the statement read.
The Atlanta Falcons have fired scout Rodrik David over his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine
According to a team statement, Falcons owner Arthur Blank (pictured) mandated that all regular full and part-time associates in his business empire receive the vaccine. The policy was announced in August and took effect Friday
The news was first reported by ESPN's Jordan Schultz.
It's not known if any other Falcons employees lost their job over Blank's mandate.
David could not be reached for comment. Neither Falcons spokespeople nor an NFL spokesman responded to DailyMail.com's request for further information about staffers being dismissed for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
While NFL players are only encouraged to get vaccinated, and not required, Tier 1 NFL personnel are asked to get the injection in order to work directly with players. Thus far, New England Patriots coach Cole Popovich is believed to be the only Tier 1 staffer to be dismissed over the policy, but Minnesota Viking assistant Rick Dennison was reassigned to an analyst role so he would not have to work directly with players.
The New England Patriots and assistant Cole Popovich (pictured) could not come to a compromise and the co-offensive line coach left the team over the NFL's vaccination policy, according to multiple reports
Minnesota Vikings assistant coach Rick Dennison remains with the team in a new role despite his decision not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, in violation of NFL rules
In August, the Falcons became the NFL's first team to have all of its players vaccinated.
Vaccination rates among sports leagues have outpaced the general population. The NFL has more than 94 percent of its players vaccinated, while the NBA recently jumped from 90 percent to 95 percent after the league announced that players would not be paid for games missed due to local health mandates.
For a player like the Brooklyn Nets Kyrie Irving, who is not believed to be vaccinated and plays in a city that has a mandate, the policy could cost him around half of his $35 million salary.
Currently the WNBA ranks atop the US sports hierarchy in terms of vaccination rate, with 99 percent of its players having received the injection.
Vaccination rates among sports leagues have outpaced the general population. The NFL has more than 94 percent of its players vaccinated, while the NBA recently jumped from 90 percent to 95 percent after the league announced that players would not be paid for games missed due to local health mandates. For a player like the Brooklyn Nets Kyrie Irving (pictured), who is not believed to be vaccinated and plays in a city that has a mandate, the policy could cost him around half of his $35 million salary
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