Bills receiver Cole Beasley revealed Tuesday that a vaccinated teammate was sent home from the team facility Monday due to COVID-19. The Bills have not yet commented on the matter.
Rookies were scheduled to report for training camp Tuesday, ahead of the veteran player report date next week. Other players, including those rehabbing injuries, have had access to the facility. The first training camp practice is next Wednesday, July 28.
Beasley has drawn widespread scrutiny on social media this offseason for his steadfast commitment to remain unvaccinated, which is often accompanied by misinformation. ProFootballTalk recently labelled him “the unofficial leader of the NFL’s anti-vaxx movement.”
Bills coach Sean McDermott has publicly tiptoed around the issue, saying he respects everyone’s opinion but expects players will “make good decisions” to get the team above the 85% vaccination threshold, which reduces the NFL’s COVID restrictions inside team facilities. But McDermott has already spoken with Beasley about social media once this summer and could change his tune after Beasley’s latest tweetstorm.
I’m not spreading anything. I get tested every day. Do you? I’ve already had a teammate who was vaccinated be sent home for covid yesterday. Luckily he caught it on Monday. Cause if it was Tuesday he would’ve given it to everyone for a whole week before being tested again. https://t.co/fir7bZU5wu
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) July 20, 2021
We don’t have a game for a month and a half it’s not hurting anyone.
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) July 20, 2021
One of Beasley’s latest tweets drew the attention of billionaire sports owner Mark Cuban, who offered Beasley a financial incentive to get vaccinated against the virus that has killed more than 600,000 Americans.
“I’ll get vaccinated and be an advocate for it if Pfizer puts a percentage of its earnings from the vaccine in my wife’s name,” Beasley tweeted Tuesday, before saying later that he wasn’t literal.
Cuban offered to take Beasley up on the offer with a share of Pfizer stock.
I’ll tell you what Cole. You get vaccinated and promote vaccination on all your social, I’ll buy your wife a share of Pfizer stock. It pays a 3.78% dividend. That way she is getting a percentage of Pfizer’s earnings. Deal ? https://t.co/gMmMHt97ro
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 20, 2021
Beasley said in January that getting away from social media was one of the biggest reasons for his success. Reminded of those comments Tuesday, Beasley said he would get off social media once the season starts.
Yes and when the season begins I will go back to that.
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) July 20, 2021
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].