In their announcement, the Broncos players cited climbing COVID-19 positivity rates in Denver and surrounding communities, as well as the absence of”adequate protocols set up.” Sources told ESPN the players voted to take this action and notified coach Vic Fangio before Tuesday morning the vote had taken place.

The Seahawks gamers issued a similar announcement in which they noted,”The NFLPA has supplied us with thorough research and advice regarding our security as players as we input voluntary work this year, particularly the advantages on our health and safety from a virtual off-season last year. After considering all the facts, we as a team have decided to make a determination that’s uncomfortable but necessary.”

The Super Bowl-champion Bucs said they”held each other accountable to do the work it took to acquire” during the year’s virtual offseason and”we plan to do this again.”

Offseason programs are scheduled to begin April 19 leaguewide, at which stage daily testing for players and staff may commence, according to a memo sent to groups on March 31. Players that are using the living room at team facilities or being treated by club medical staff need to be analyzed, at minimum, every other day. Teams may test more if they prefer, but that is the minimum requirement.

Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett said Tuesday it was”easy” to learn what coaches were teaching in a digital atmosphere last offseason.

“When we moved back into camp, things were amazing,” he said. “Everybody was flying about. You would have believed that we never missed a practice we never missed an OTA. That is the beauty of this, that we are in a position to find it’s all mental, so for us, even when we moved through that virtual encounter we had to be on our P’s and Q’s, because we wanted to make sure we were all great when we moved back out there, and now I think the NFL season only kind of showed that we were on it”

Lockett considered opting out of the 2020 year because of COVID-19 concerns before deciding to play. Seattle did not have a single player contract that the virus last season.

The Seahawks do have a brand new coordinator this year in Shane Waldron, who’s predicted to change some if not most of the crime. However, the Seattle players’ decision to not participate in voluntary workouts won’t be as financially expensive as it might be for players on groups, like the Green Bay Packers, that place offseason workout bonuses in their contracts. Those bonuses are tied to participation in offseason workouts. The Seahawks do not include them in their contracts, although safety Quandre Diggs includes a $100,000 workout bonus in his. The Seahawks obtained Diggs and his contract at a 2019 trade together with the Detroit Lions. He is the only Seahawks player whose contract includes a workout bonus, based on Roster Management System.

In their statement, the majority of’ players said that”COVID-19 remains a severe danger to our families and our communities, and it makes no sense for us as players to put ourselves at risk during this dead period.

“Positivity rates in our city are higher than they were at this time last year and we all know players have been infected at club facilities lately. Despite having a completely virtual offseason last year, the caliber of drama around the NFL was better than ever by almost every measure.”

Kicker Brandon McManus is the Broncos’ player representative in the NFLPA and continues to be vocal over the last year regarding the demand for constant health and security protocols.

Many gamers leave the place for the weekend, including individuals who don’t live in the Denver region in the offseason. So the way the players would be analyzed and on what days when they return to the facility for another week of workouts is a matter that some players say they need explained.

Some Broncos happen to be in the team’s center in recent weeks, such as gamers that are recovering from injuries or offseason surgeries. Trainers, coaches and other team personnel have been working in the construction under certain guidelines, including wearing facial coverings.

The Broncos company did not respond to requests for comment concerning the players’ announcement on not attending voluntary workouts.

Vaccinations are increasing from the Denver region, with all individuals 16 years or older unable to get the vaccine. Positivity rates released Tuesday for Arapahoe County, in which the Broncos’ complex is situated, was 5.6%.

In its statement issued by the NFLPA, the Bucs said they chose”to the company, to Bucs fans and to each other” to defend their Super Bowl title, but”in light of this ongoing pandemic, we are choosing to take a stand along with other players throughout the league and exercise our right not to participate” from the voluntary offseason program.

The NFL sent a memo to teams Tuesday that stated Tier 1 or Tier 2 employees will be required to be vaccinated in order to work in the group facilities, unless they need to pay attention to religious or health reasons.