The National Football League (NFL) is taking their seriousness about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to another level.  

They announced that they will be reprimanding three players for breaking jointly developed COVID-19 protocols that were administered by the league and the National Football League Players Association, according to NFL Communications. 

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Wide receiver Antonio Brown and safety Mike Edwards of the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been suspended for the next three games. Wide receiver John Franklin III, who is currently a free agent, would also be suspended for three games if he were to sign with a team. 

The three players have accepted their punishment and declined their right to appeal, according to NFL Communications. They were represented by the NFLPA during an investigation into the allegations that the players weren’t forthcoming as it related to their vaccination status. 

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The review supported those allegations and found that the three players broke the protocols, according to NFL Communications. 

In a joint statement by the league and the Players Association, they stated, “The health and safety of players and personnel is our top priority. The protocols were jointly developed working with our respective experts to ensure that we are practicing and playing football as safely as possible during the ongoing pandemic. The NFL-NFLPA jointly reinforce their commitment and further emphasize the importance of strict adherence to the protocols to protect the well-being of everyone associated with the NFL.” 

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This news comes at a time when there is an urgency to get people vaccinated with the COVID-19 omicron variant reaching the United States.