The Kansas City Chiefs defeated a Dallas Cowboys team that was missing several key players. This includes wide receiver Amari Cooper, one of Dallas’s most capable offensive weapons. Cooper was out due to a positive COVID-19 test, and while many blame Dallas’s loss to the Chiefs on Cooper’s decision to not be vaccinated, quarterback Dak Prescott is standing behind his decision and urges people not to come down on his teammate.
“Let’s not try to knock the guy or put the guy down for a personal decision,” said Prescott at the post-game interview when asked about Cooper.
“That’s my teammate. That’s my brother. I’m going to continue to back him and support him. This is everybody’s personal decision,” Prescott added.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOg45AREoas
While it was a sad loss to the Chiefs by America’s team, this post-interview moment is being highlighted just as much as the loss with mixed reactions. Many are blaming Cooper’s “selfishness” of not getting the vaccine resulting in the loss. While Cooper’s absence was a factor, it’s hardly all on Cooper’s shoulders as the Cowboys are also out of other key offensive and defensive players such as Randy Gregory, Tyron Smith, Demarcus Lawrence, and even lost wide receiver Ceedee Lamb at the half.
But stepping back for a moment and looking at the grand scheme of things, getting these vaccines is no guarantee that you won’t catch the virus. Anthony Fauci, a recent admission by Anthony Fauci, has admitted to an increase in hospitalizations among those who were vaccinated.
(READ: Fauci admits that hospitalizations among the vaccinated are rising, but why he likely did it is more telling)
Cooper may have had the vaccine, but still caught the virus. It does happen.
But more importantly is the attitude Prescott has toward Cooper’s decision to not be vaccinated, which is to simply say that he supports his personal decision about it. It’s a position that will surely come under attack in the headlines, though it has yet to as of this writing.
Prescott treats his fellow teammate like an adult, who is able to make their own decisions. It would appear that refusal of vaccination among NFL players isn’t uncommon. There were hints of this while Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers was going through his COVID-19 scandal when he and former Colts player and podcast host Pat McAfee discussed his teammate’s reactions to him standing up to the NFL on it.
Cooper’s not the first player to be taken out over a positive COVID test and he likely won’t be the last, but Prescott’s position makes it clear that when these things do happen, it’ll be a rare case to see that player’s teammates actually angry about it. Many could take a page out of Prescott’s book in the general public, however.
Individuals’ decisions should be respected.
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