PHOENIX — Editor's note: The above video aired during a previous broadcast.
Five players on the Arizona Cardinals were placed in COVID-19 protocols on Thursday, Coach Kliff Kingsbury confirmed.
The number of players out initially came as a surprise to Kingsbury, who confirmed a report that the team has a 90% COVID-19 vaccination rate.
The five players who are out include:
- Andy Isabella
- Kelvin Beachum
- Rodney Hudson
- Justin Pugh
- Keion Johnson
Kingsbury also said that Deandre Hopkins, who has previously been outspoken on the NFL's policy geared towards unvaccinated players, was also out of practice.
"Never thought I would say this, but being put in a position to hurt my team because I don't want to partake in the vaccine is making question my future in the @NFL," Hopkins' said in a now-deleted tweet.
The coach said that Hopkins was out due to a "minor thing," and would not elaborate further.
The NFL is not requiring players to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, but unvaccinated players must follow more stringent protocols that don't apply to players who are vaccinated.
RELATED: No, NFL players don’t have to be vaccinated but there are stricter rules for unvaccinated players
The percent of vaccinated Cardinals players is higher than the NFL's average as of July 22, with the league reporting more than 75% of players were in the vaccination process and more than half of the league's teams have more than 80% of their players vaccinated.
12 Sports
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