Tailgating, face-painted fans returned in full force at stadiums around the country as the NFL opened its doors to capacity for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic.
Some wore masks, some didnB次元官网网址檛. Some are vaccinated, some arenB次元官网网址檛.
Restrictions varied in different cities with the Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints the only teams requiring fans to provide proof of vaccination to enter.
The defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers welcomed 65,566 fans Thursday night to kick off the season and 15 teams were set to host more than one million fans in Week 1.
Fans are back as COVID-19 surges because of the delta variant. President Joe Biden has a proposal to require that companies with more than 100 employees vaccinate their workforce and he will also mandate shots for executive branch workers and federal contractors with no testing opt-out.
In Nashville, fans were tailgating in the usual spaces outside Nissan Stadium before the Titans hosted the Arizona Cardinals. No proof of vaccination or recent negative COVID-19 test were required of fans. Masks were only encouraged inside suites and other enclosed spaces but not required. The only exception to that is postgame for reporters around players and coaches.
The field on opposite sides between the 15 and 5 featured the words B次元官网网址淲ELCOME BACK.B次元官网网址�
Judy Maag of Hohenwald, Tennessee, had tickets for the 2020 season only to sell them when the pandemic hit. She has been coming to TitansB次元官网网址� games for the past five seasons and was racing to her seats in the upper deck Sunday.
B次元官网网址淚t feels great and I hope we win,B次元官网网址� Maag said.
In Buffalo, fans who are not fully vaccinated must wear a face covering at all times. Masks are required regardless of vaccination status when visiting the indoor settings at Highmark Stadium. Unvaccinated guests may remove their mask only when eating or drinking. Seating will not be designated by vaccination status.
The team sent a letter to ticket holders recommending they get through the gates earlier than normal, and that they were opening the gates at 11 a.m., a half hour early.
Outside the stadium, it was back to normal after fans werenB次元官网网址檛 allowed to attend Bills home games during the regular season last year, and only about 6,600 were allowed in for the playoffs. The private lots around the stadium were already filling up by 8 a.m.
Jeff Boyst made his annual trip from North Carolina to watch the Bills play the Pittsburgh Steelers.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 time to get back out in the public and take my chances. IB次元官网网址檝e been vaccinated,B次元官网网址� said Boyst, who was attending a tailgate party across the street from the stadium more than fours before kickoff. B次元官网网址淏ut IB次元官网网址檓 here willing to take the chances to resume life and try to get back to normal. And this is a tradition that IB次元官网网址檝e missed. I drove 600 miles just to be here and to be back to normal, and support the Bills, support the community that I grew up in. And like so many of us, weB次元官网网址檝e left New York to end up somewhere else. Our hearts are still here.B次元官网网址�
Bill Langdoa traveled from Long Island, New York, to North Carolina to watch Zach Wilson make his NFL debut with the Jets against Sam Darnold and the Carolina Panthers.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been waiting a long time for this,B次元官网网址� Langdoa said. B次元官网网址淲e were at Game 6 of the Islanders against Tampa Bay and that was completely packed. WeB次元官网网址檙e vaccinated. We feel pretty comfortable.B次元官网网址�
Masks werenB次元官网网址檛 required but recommended in the stands at AtlantaB次元官网网址檚 Mercedes-Benz Stadium and they were required in any indoor area.
Dustin Faircloth came with his wife and two children without masks, unaware of protocols.
B次元官网网址淚 was hoping they werenB次元官网网址檛 requiring it or I was in trouble,B次元官网网址� Faircloth said.
The two-time AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs expected more than 75,000 fans for their late afternoon game against the Cleveland Browns. Masks were only required inside club suites.
B次元官网网址淥ur objective is the same objective that we had last year: How do we create a safe environment for our fans?B次元官网网址� Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. B次元官网网址淲e are not experts in the COVID space, we are not experts in the vaccination space and testing space, so weB次元官网网址檒l have to work with experts on that. I will say this, as an organization we fully support full vaccination. We think itB次元官网网址檚 the safest way for all of us, and we have promoted that.B次元官网网址�
The New England Patriots ask unvaccinated fans to wear a mask to Gillette Stadium events. Like other teams, they ask all ticketholders to agree that neither they nor their guests will attend an event if they have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days, been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days, or experienced symptoms of COVID-19 within 48 hours prior to the event.
B次元官网网址淟ast year, it felt like a Massachusetts high school football game, where there was little bands in there. Now weB次元官网网址檙e getting back to how we used to be, just embracing every opportunity to be out there on the field competing,B次元官网网址� Patriots linebackers coach Steve Belichick said. B次元官网网址淟ast year, it was humbling not being out there with the fans. IB次元官网网址檓 sure they wanted to be there. We wanted them there. But that didnB次元官网网址檛 take away from our intensity in our preparation and our effort and all that type of stuff.B次元官网网址�
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AP Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker and AP Sports Writers John Wawrow, Steve Reed, Charles Odum, David Skretta and Kyle Hightower contributed.
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Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press
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