Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley, one of the NFL’s most notable vaccine holdouts, was placed on the league’s COVID-19 reserve list as a close contact, meaning he was exposed to someone who has the coronavirus.
Beasley now must miss at least five days of practice because of the league’s protocols.
According to multiple reports, a Bills trainer tested positive for the virus Tuesday, while Beasley and wideout Gabriel Davis were deemed close contacts. Both players tested negative for COVID-19, but each has to quarantine.
Vaccinated players who are exposed to the virus do not have to quarantine or miss time.
Over the course of the offseason, Beasley has been one of the NFL’s most vocal in speaking out against the league’s protocol and the coronavirus vaccine. In a statement to reporters prior to training camp, Beasley said he was not “anti- or pro-vax” but believed in individual choice.
“With that being said, the issue at hand is information being withheld from players in order for a player to be swayed in a direction he may not be comfortable with,” Beasley said. “When dealing with a player’s health and safety, there should be complete transparency regarding information that is vital in the decision-making process.
“Without having all the proper information, a player can feel misguided and unsure about a very personal choice. It makes a player feel unprotected and gives concerns about future topics regarding health and our ability to make educated decisions.”
The NFL has not mandated the vaccine for players, but it has strict protocols in place for unvaccinated individuals. Those protocols have led some players to get the vaccine just because they don’t want to deal with the rules.
For example, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said he “wouldn’t have gotten the vaccine without the protocols they’re enforcing on us.” Washington wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden, too, said he was motivated, in part, to get the shot after seeing vaccinated players have fewer protocols in place.
Beasley caught a career-high 967 yards on 82 receptions in 2020.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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