'It's Not About You': Vikings Legend Cris Carter Says Players Should Get Vaccinated To Protect The Team
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minnesota Vikings legend is urging the NFL's unvaccinated players to get the shot.
Hall of Famer Cris Carter recently appeared on the NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" to share his thoughts on the COVID-19 vaccine.
"When you're in team sports, you have to think about, how am I gonna be able to protect my teammates?" Carter said. "How can I help my teammates do their job? And if I don't have a vaccination, there's a chance that I could be a person who's a super-spreader and that I could derail the whole NFL season."
Carter said his decision to get vaccinated came down to two things.
"It's about team," he said. "It's about protection."
Vaccinations have been the dominant storyline as the Vikings go through training camp. Monday, the team placed four players -- including starting quarterback Kirk Cousins and two of his backups -- on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Then, on Tuesday, the Washington Post reported the Vikings have the lowest vaccination rate of any NFL team, with 64.5% of players fully vaccinated.
Team co-owner Mark Wilf and head coach Mike Zimmer have both expressed frustration with unvaccinated players. Wilf said he is "very concerned" about players' vaccine hesitancy, while Zimmer said he's "frustrated with not just my football players that won't get vaccinated, I'm frustrated with everybody."
Carter, who is part of a league alumni outreach team touting the vaccine, ultimately thinks vaccination is "not a choice" for NFL players.
"When you're involved in team sports, that's what you have to do," Carter said. "It's not about you, it's about the team you signed up for and the work environment that you're trying to keep safe."
Carter, a Vikings Ring of Honor member, holds the team records for most receptions, yards and touchdowns.