BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — After the NFL released new COVID-19 protocols on Wednesday, Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley shared his thoughts on the disparity between guidelines for vaccinated players as opposed to non-vaccinated players.
The players association is a joke. Call it something different. It’s not for the players. Everyone gives me the 98 percent of people who are vaccinated don’t get covid again. The odds of me getting in the NFL and playing for 10 years are lower than that and I’m here.
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) June 17, 2021
The differences go beyond team facilities, locker rooms, and common areas; vaccinated players will be allowed to leave the team hotel during trips to road games to see other vaccinated family and friends.
Meanwhile, non-vaccinated players and staff can't even travel with their teammates. Instead, they must travel separately and stay in the team hotel until kickoff.
This is crazy. Did we vote on this? I stay in the hotel. We still have meetings. We will all be together. Vaccinated players can go out the hotel and bring covid back in to where I am. So what does it matter if I stay in the hotel now? 100 percent immune with vaccination? No. https://t.co/g61WM8zAOh
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) June 17, 2021
Beasley shared four tweets on Thursday afternoon, including one that called the NFL Players' Association "a joke." The 10-year veteran says no one is fighting for the players while the NFL is "[given] back the freedom to make the most money possible again."
So what are we really talking about? I understand completely why the NFL is doing this. It gives them back the freedom to make the most money as possible again if everyone is vaccinated. But will anyone fight for the players or nah?
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) June 17, 2021
Only three teams began the 2020 season with fans in the stands; all 32 teams saw limited ticket sales for parts of the whole season. The Bills saw sales limited for the entire season. That loss of revenue played into the reduction of the 2021 salary cap.
Offensive lineman Jon Feliciano also weighed in by quoting one of Beasley's tweets with more concerns regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and coaches. Team staff members have even less access to facilities if they aren't vaccinated than players do.
Don’t forget the Coaches to @NFL trying to force them to get vax or they can’t coach in person.. @NFLPA a lot of these coaches were former players who’s helping them? https://t.co/6mTRnhLNQV
— Jonathan Feliciano (@MongoFeliciano) June 17, 2021
In the replies to his own tweet, Feliciano also confirmed that he has been fully vaccinated. He said he wants to "respect other [people's] decision to do what they want with their bodies."
This season, though, the Bills will not have any capacity limits in the fall. Buffalo has completed its organized team activities and mandatory minicamps. Training camp will be held at One Bills Drive in Orchard Park in late July.
