FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - Patriots assistant offensive line coach, Cole Popovich, will reportedly not return this season, because of the league’s updated COVID-19 policy, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
All Tier 1 personnel on the 32 NFL teams -which includes coaches – are required to be fully vaccinated.
Popovich is not the only NFL coach opting to sit out because of the new guidelines. According to ESPN, Minnesota Vikings assistant coach, Rick Dennison is also choosing to quit over receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Popovich originally joined Bill Belichick’s coaching staff in 2015 as a coaching assistant and shared offensive line coaching duties with Carmen Bricillo last season.
Bricillo will remain as the team’s only O-line coach.
Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers said getting vaccinated was a decision that went beyond the playing field for him.
“I’m just happy to be able to see my family – play games and see my family. You know it was a little hard last year having to play games. It’d be quiet out there or play games and you go home by yourself, you know,” Meyers said. “So, I know I got mine so I could be around people I love and I’m not trying to convince people of it, either way, you know, I stay out of it and I just try to do what’s best for me and my family.”
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