Getty Wide receiver Cole Beasley, formerly of the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin this week spoke out about his near-death experience on the field against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, revealing the cause of his cardiac arrest and making a vow to return to the field next season.
But former teammate Cole Beasley may not be buying Hamlin’s story. The wide receiver took to Twitter to “like” a post calling Hamlin’s injury in question and furthering a conspiracy theory about the 24-year-old former teammate — a theory that Beasley has appeared to endorse in the past.
Damar Hamlin Reveals Cause of Injury
Hamlin collapsed on the field after taking a hard hit to the chest while tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Many speculated immediately afterward that he may have suffered commotio cordis, a rare condition brought on by a blunt force trauma to the chest at a precise moment in the heart’s rhythm, causing the heart to stop beating. Other athletes have died from this condition, especially in sports like baseball and lacrosse where players have been struck in the chest with balls.
Hamlin confirmed this week that he did suffer commotion cordis, a diagnosis that came after extensive testing to rule out other possible conditions, ESPN reported. Despite the diagnosis from Hamlin’s medical team and a clearance to return to the team next season, some still questioned the circumstances.
‘Fear is a choice’ — Less than 4 months after he almost died on the field due to a freak instance of cardiac arrest, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin sat at a podium and told the media he officially plans on making a comeback to the NFL in 2023
In the immediate aftermath of Hamlin’s collapse and hospitalization, some put forward conspiracy theories claiming that his condition may have been an adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine. One of those was Peter McCullough, a prominent vaccine skeptic who this week took to Twitter to cast doubt on Hamlin’s statement.
” ‘The diagnosis of what happened to me was commotio cordis,’ @HamlinIsland said. As a cardiologist I am not convinced,” McCullough tweeted. “#COVIDVACCINE myocarditis is a far more likely etiology. Return is perilous because risk of repeat cardiac arrest on the playing field without an ICD.”
The tweet was “liked” by Beasley, who in February clicked like on another post pushing a conspiracy theory aimed at Hamlin. The tweet from February 14 read, “Damar Hamlin says that he wants to ‘stay away from’ answering questions about what happened to him on the field since he was in perfect health. I think we all know what that means.”
Cole Beasley Irked Bills Fans Another Time
Beasley has had a complicated relationship with Bills fans, saying in October 2021 that he heard fans booing him at home games after he publicly questioned the COVID-19 vaccine. Some fans pushed back, saying they had been chanting his name and not booing him.
Beasley asked for a trade following the 2021 season and was ultimately released by the team in March 2022, but returned late last season as the team’s wide receiving corps was hit with injuries.
Beasley’s strained relationship with Bills fans continued into this offseason. In March, he took to Twitter to defend quarterback Aaron Rodgers and claim that the Green Bay Packers quarterback is among the top two in the league, alongside Kansas City Chiefs signal caller Patrick Mahomes.
Some Bills fans were upset that Beasley seemed to slight Josh Allen in his assessment.
“Allen disrespect is crazy too. Numbers don’t lie…” one Bills fan tweeted.
“The Allen slander from Cole Beasely. I never would have expected this,” another fan tweeted. “Absolutely wild you’d say this.”