Mel Kiper Jr will be part of ESPN’s coverage of the NFL Draft next week. He will not be in Las Vegas though. Instead, he will be at home in Maryland. He revealed on Monday that the reason he cannot attend in person is that he is not vaccinated against Covid-19.
“I completely support everyone determining what’s best for their individual circumstances and recognize the value of vaccines,” he said in a statement posted on Twitter. “Simply put, my Covid vaccination decision is very specific to my own medical history.”
It is an outcome that almost certainly disappoints the team in Bristol. It will be the second time in three years that ESPN has had its NFL Draft coverage plan has been disrupted by Covid-19. Todd McShay came down with the virus in 2020 and was forced to miss that year’s virtual event.
Mel Kiper Jr knows that ESPN is making concessions and arrangements to make it possible for him to appear on the network his 39th consecutive NFL Draft.
“I appreciate my colleagues, particularly the production staff and my fellow commentators for their support and flexibility,” his statement read.
