Jul 28, 2021; Orchard Park, NY, United States; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley (11) comes off the field after practice at the Buffalo Bills Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
One prominent player is notably not vaccinated for COVID-19, but now the Buffalo Bills have a growing issue.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley has notably been against COVID-19 vaccines, which based on the NFL’s protocols created the possibility of a looming issue for the team. Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News first reported a training staff member tested positive for the virus, with Beasley and fellow wide receiver Gabriel Davis immediately being deemed close contacts.
Beasley and Davis have been removed from the facility, and they have to undergo a five-day re-entry process. That means they are not vaccinated, again per the NFL and NFLPA’s rules. But Leonard subsequently added that linebackers Matt Milano and A.J. Klein will also be away from the facility for five days despite testing negative as Beasley and Davis did.
The Bills have a COVID-19 issue
Beasley has threatened to retire over the vaccination issue and the NFL’s rules with vaccinated/unvaccinated players, and the idea the Bills could cut him has been out there. Leonard has reported four prominent players as close contacts to the COVID-positive staff member, but there could certainly be more since said person is apparently part of the training staff.
With so long before Week 1, the Bills won’t compromise a meaningful game with this COVID-19 positive test on their support staff and contact tracing issue taking players out of the facility. But this could be wake-up call for the whole organization, lest they derail a promising season coming off 2020’s resurgent campaign.