A popular saying in football is that a player’s best ability is his availability. The idea explains why injured players in professional football are often cut, released, or relegated to lesser roles. It’s why an NFL player’s history of missing games can keep him from getting a big contract. It’s why players who face criminal allegations are handled according to whether they’ll miss time on the field…

With Newton out, the rookie quarterback Mac Jones, the Patriots’ first-round draft pick this year, was able to gain valuable experience in Newton’s absence and assume control of the position. Even before Newton missed practice, Jones was nipping on Newton’s heels because of his strong performance in practice and preseason games. Once Newton was out, Jones’s availability helped win him the starting job.

The overwhelming majority of athletes in the NFL have gotten the message that vaccination is good for their health and their career. More than a month after the league announced its current protocols, 93 percent of players have gotten shots—a rate far higher than among all American adults. Late last month, shortly after the league fined Isaiah McKenzie $14,650 for failing to wear a mask at a Buffalo Bills facility, the wide receiver broke down and got a shot. Posting a photo of his new vaccination card on Instagram, he wrote, “They got me! @NFL you win!” Money and playing time are incentives that most professional athletes clearly understand.