NFL Expresses Desire to Invite Vaccinated Health Care Workers to Super Bowl LV

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday in a letter to the president of the Tampa Super Bowl Host Committee, Rob Higgins, that the league is hoping to "invite vaccinated health care workers to the Super Bowl as our guests."

Goodell added that the NFL will use the Super Bowl as "an opportunity to promote the importance of vaccination and appropriate health practices, including wearing masks in public settings."

While it would undoubtedly a nice gesture if it happens, there will be those who question whether the NFL could have done more to promote health and safety practices during the COVID-19 pandemic:

As for how many fans will be in attendance for this year's Super Bowl, Goodell told reporters Tuesday that remains a fluid situation:

"I think the way we're approaching that is we're going to be taking that not on a day-by-day basis, but obviously the safety of our fans and the community are going to be No. 1. We will be working with public officials and the health officials to define that as we get closer to the game.

"We're going to try to bring as many fans as we can safely do into Raymond James Stadium, but we'll be working with the local officials on that. ... I'm not sure there's a specific number that we are confident saying this is what it will be. But obviously our focus will be keeping them safe, whoever is there. ... We will not make projections about what the current environment will be 55 days from now."

With the United States going through another surge of coronavirus cases, and Florida amid a major upswing of its own, there is plenty of uncertainty regarding the best safety practices at sporting events.

It would be unprecedented to hold a Super Bowl without any fans at all, and the expected limited capacity will give this year's game a unique feel regardless. If the NFL does invite vaccinated health-care workers to the game, it feels unlikely at this time that many other fans will be joining them.