Getty Buffalo Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie before a playoff game in January.
A crazy week for Buffalo Bills wide receivers Cole Beasley and Isaiah McKenzie got even more eventful on Thursday, as both players were fined nearly $15,000 for violating NFL COVID-19 protocols. As unvaccinated players, Beasley and McKenzie are required to wear masks at the team facility, but according to a letter from the league that McKenzie posted to his Twitter account Thursday morning, he was observed on two occasions without a mask on.
They got me! @NFL you win!
“They got me! @NFL you win!” McKenzie tweeted, while sharing the letter.
Though Beasley didn’t share any letter he had received, he re-tweeted his teammate’s message and wrote “Don’t worry they got me too. But I was wearing a mask when I was in close contact with fully vaxxed trainer who tested positive and still got sent home. So what’s the point of the mask anyways? Meanwhile I’m here still testing negative and can’t come back. Make it make sense.”
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On Tuesday, Beasley was among five players sent home from the Bills’ practice facility, after a fully-vaccinated team trainer was sent home following a positive COVID-19 test. As close contacts to the trainer, Beasley, wide receiver Gabriel Davis, linebackers Matt Milano and A.J. Klein, and defensive tackle Star Lotulelei were told to self-quarantine for five days.
McKenzie meanwhile, suffered a scary injury during practice Tuesday after receiving a nasty hit from safety Jordan Poyer.
Social Media Has Wide Range of Reaction to Fines
GettyIke Boettger, Isaiah McKenzie and Josh Allen celebrate a touchdown during a game in January.
Aside from their initial posts indicating that they had been fined, both Beasley and McKenzie were active on Twitter expressing their feelings on the situation. McKenzie didn’t seem to mind getting some money taken out of his paycheck and, either seriously or jokingly, asked fans for forgiveness.
“$14,650 damn,” the fourth-year pro wrote, followed by the praying hands emoji. He also said “Pray for me,” followed by a grinning face emoji.
I’m sorry world 😢
Beasley spent some of his morning responding to tweets and re-tweeting guys like Gary Sheffield Jr. and teammate Jon Feliciano.
@jtylerconway So I can go around infecting everyone without anybody knowing it? No thank you. The vaccinated is why I am at home right now. He got sick and I didn’t. Why would I get it?
@MatthewFairburn I wore a mask that whole day but got fined because I didn’t have it in from entry door to the locker room. Which is literally 5 steps.
So the trainer Cole Beasley was “in contact” with was vaccinated, Beasley himself tested negative for covid, and he still has to go home for five days? Sounds a lot like punishment for being unvaccinated rather than protocols to protect their health 🐸 ☕️
We repeatedly see vax ppl get covid and get other ppl sick regardless of their vax status. If us vax ppl were getting tested more frequently (like pa asked) than we could avoid situations like we are in. Just because some ppl aren’t vax shouldn’t mean we treat them as a pos.
Fellow wide receiver Stefon Diggs chimed in as well.
15k is a lot of money lol…
NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero broke down the fines to Beasley and McKenzie, noting that if issues arise again, further punishments could be handed down.
After the NFL fined them $14,650 for refusal to wear a mask, #Bills WRs Cole Beasley and Isaiah McKenzie are now subject to increased discipline for a repeat violation — including for conduct detrimental with a maximum fine of one week’s salary and/or 4-game unpaid suspension.
The NFL generally issues written warnings first, then fines thereafter. Cole Beasley was fined for a violation caught on video Tuesday. Isaiah McKenzie’s violations Wednesday were seen in person by NFL officials, who happened to be there to give a presentation on … COVID rules.
Last week, Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins opened up to the media and told his story of his battle with COVID-19. On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first COVID-19 vaccine, known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.
What Percentage of NFL Players Have Received the COVID-19 Vaccine?
GettyBuffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley during training camp in July.
Shortly after news broke of the fines dished out to Beasley and McKenzie, Bills head coach Sean McDermott spoke to the media about it.
McDermott, while vaccinated himself, toed the line of pushing the vaccine on those who haven’t received the shot or shots and saying it’s important from both a community health and football standpoint.
The vaccination rates will not be a factor in who makes the team, according to McDermott
Sean McDermott on his frustration level with the ongoing vaccination conversations surrounding the Bills @WKBW #BillsMafia
According to the Washington Post, as of Tuesday, 92.7% of all current NFL players were either fully vaccinated or in the process and all but four teams were at or above the 89% threshold. The Atlanta Falcons became the first team in the league to be 100% vaccinated early last week.
The NFL has sent written warnings to roughly 120 players leaguewide and fined 25 players for refusal to wear a mask and/or Kinexon tracking device since the start of training camp, per source. All fined $14,650, the standard amount for a first offense under NFL-NFLPA protocols.
The Bills will close out their preseason on Saturday against the Green Bay Packers.
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