Atlanta, Georgia - The Atlanta Falcons gave word on Monday that their organization is 100% vaccinated for the upcoming 2021 NFL regular season, making them the first football franchise to be completely inoculated against the coronavirus.

The Falcons first shared this news via their official website. They can now operate outside the league's strict regulations and mandates – no daily tests, mask-wearing, or mandatory quarantines for those who have come in close contact with someone testing positive.

This is huge news on the NFL level, considering a number of professional athletes seem to think there’s some kind of wisdom to refusing a widely available vaccine. Unvaccinated NFL players like Cole Beasley (32) and Kirk Cousins have been refusing the vaccine, citing "personal choices," while Lamar Jackson has taken the long route to building up Covid-resistance by catching the virus twice.

The Falcons are following in the footsteps of the Ole Miss Rebels, who were the first football team at any level to be 100% vaccinated.

The Falcons play home games in the state of Georgia, which, like Mississippi overall, has a pretty low vaccination rate – just 39.7% at the moment, according to Our World in Data.

The Falcons have been proactive with vaccinations in the Atlanta community, having offered vaccinations at last week’s preseason game and a recent practice session that was open to the public.