Minnesota Vikings assistant coach Rick Dennison out after refusing COVID-19 vaccine, per report
Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach/run game coordinator Rick Dennison is out of a job after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, ESPN's Courtney Cronin reported Friday.
The team will promote assistant offensive coach Phil Rauscher to replace Dennison. Minnesota also hired Auburn special teams analyst Ben Steele as an assistant to fill out its coaching staff.
Dennison has been with the Vikings for the past two seasons and would be the first NFL assistant coach to lose his job for refusal to take the vaccine.
"The Vikings continue to hold discussions with offensive line coach Rick Dennison regarding the NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 protocols for training camp and preseason games," the team said in a statement. "At this time, coach Dennison does not have an exemption to the vaccination requirements."
New England Patriots co-offensive line coach Cole Popovich will not return to the team this season in a decision related to the COVID-19 and the NFL's guidelines, ESPN reported later on Friday.
The NFL mandates that all Tier 1 staff get vaccinated. For those Tier 1 staff not vaccinated, they must get proof through medical or religious reasons to not get the vaccine.
Tier 1 staff are those in constant contact with players.
Dennison's split comes one day after the NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams saying the league would institute forfeits if a COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players forced a game to be canceled during the regular season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rick Dennison, Vikings assistant, out after refusing COVID-19 vaccine
