NFL pulls offer for Victory Boyd to sing anthem at season opener over COVID vaccination, report

The NFL has reportedly cancelled an invitation to Grammy Award winner Victory Boyd to perform the national anthem at the league's season-opening game Thursday, after the singer/songwriter declined to get a COVID-19 vaccination for religious reasons. 

“As I understand that Victory will not be fully vaccinated by the time of the Kickoff game, she would not have been able to comply with the terms of the Game Day Field Access Policy,” the NFL told Boyd's father and manager, John Boyd, in an Aug. 31 email obtained by The Epoch Times.

"As a result, we unfortunately will not be able to invite Victoria to perform the national anthem at this year’s Kickoff game."

The rescinded invitation was sent by NFL Senior Director for Media and Entertainment Events Seth Dudowsky.

The game will be played on national TV at defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ outdoor home field, Raymond James Stadium.

Boyd was reportedly offered $20,000 plus expenses for the performance. 

The NFL policy requires anybody accessing the playing field and surrounding sideline areas within the stadium bowl (including individuals involved in game presentation elements such as the singer of the national anthem) be fully vaccinated, according to the Epoch Times.

"Under the policy, 'fully vaccinated' means 14 days have passed since the individual received the final dose required in the vaccine sequence, in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This requirement is mandatory and fully complies with the laws applicable to the type of business relationship contemplated here, and we are not in a position to make an exception," Budowsky told Boyd in the email.

The 27-year-old Boyd was reportedly part of the team that produced Kanye West's Grammy Award-winning "Jesus Is King." 2020’s top contemporary Christian album.

"I am in prayer to make sure that the Lord guides me into the right decision concerning receiving an unproven injection with artificial properties that can potentially have a long term effect on my reproductive health," she told the Epoch Times.

"If I want to take the vaccine, the decision will be between myself, my doctor and my God. At this point, the Spirit of God is leading me to take a stand for freedom of choice."