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The Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley will not be playing during the team’s most important game of the season on Sunday, December 26, after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week.
Because Beasley tested positive and is unvaccinated, the 32-year-old veteran will be out for a minimum of 10 days and could be in danger of missing the Bills’ Week 17 matchup, as well.
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This exact scenario — having one of the Bills’ most reliable receivers unavailable for a season-defining game — was the crux of the ire against Beasley for choosing to remain unvaccinated.
The winner of the Bills vs. Patriots game in Week 16 will decide the top seed in the AFC East and secure the winner’s spot in the postseason. A loss for the Bills will have them kissing the playoffs goodbye.
Beasley’s firm stance on not getting vaccinated is not just affecting his team, but his bank account. The Mort Report‘s Chris Mortensen tweeted on Sunday, “Bills receiver Cole Beasley has been fined multiple times for Covid protocol violations for a cumulative sum in the range of $100,000 per league and union sources. Beasley was fined $14,600 in August on a day league officials were in the facility to review the protocols.”
“The $14,600 fine has been doubled on more than one occasion via video monitoring by the league,” Mortensen continued. “One source estimated the $100,000 total sum, another source believed it was just short of that amount.”
However, the NFL and NFLPA agreement state that players who miss games to due COVID-19, vaccinated or not, are still entitled to their full pay.
“Beasley makes $4.7 million in base salary, so he still gets his $261,111 game check,” Mortensen noted. “There are several team execs who believe it’s one loophole that needs to be revisited for 2022, believing an unvaccinated player who lands of the Covid-19 reserve list should not be paid if he misses a game or games. This is the first time Beasley has landed on the list.”
Beasley Said He Was Experiencing ‘Mild Symptoms’
Earlier this season, Beasley said he would rather die than get vaccinated, and deleted his Twitter account due to the intense backlash he received online.
It seems Beasley’s defense plan, “to take my chances with Covid and build up my immunity that way. Eat better. Drink water. Exercise and do what I think is necessary to be a healthy individual,” didn’t pan out.
Beasley took to Instagram to speak his thoughts on his situation, blaming the NFL’s rules and guidelines for sidelining him against the Patriots.
Beasley captioned the post, “I am feeling fine with mild symptoms. Thank you for the support. I look forward to being back out there with my teammates soon.”
Bills WR Gabriel Davis Also Tested Positive for COVID-19 & Is Not Vaccinated
Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis, who’s caught a touchdown pass in each of Buffalo’s last three games, including two during the Bills win over the Carolina Panthers last week, was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on December 24.
Losing Davis, who’s unvaccinated, is a huge blow for the Bills considering Cole Beasley was already ruled out. Because of Davis’ vaccination status, he will not just miss this Sunday’s pivotal matchup, but he’ll be forced to miss the Bills game in Week 17, as well.
As for Beasley, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, he could possibly return on Friday, which would make him eligible to play in Week 17.
Thankfully, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who was a full participant at practice on Thursday after suffering a knee injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was able to suit up against the Patriots on Sunday.
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