Unvaccinated Cole Beasley Blasts NFL for New COVID-19 Protocols: 'I'd Rather Die Actually Living'
Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley explained why he's going unvaccinated after blasting the NFL and NFLPA on Thursday for this season's COVID-19 protocols.
"If your scared of me then steer clear. Point. Blank. Period," Beasley wrote in a statement posted on Twitter. "I may die of covid, but I'd rather die actually living."
However, Beasley does mention that he has "family members whose days are numbered." He's not concerned about the fines that could follow because he "doesn't play for the money anymore."
He continues, saying he'd rather "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."
The NFL's new protocols allow vaccinated players to return to near normalcy; however, unvaccinated players face a whole slew of restrictions, some having a monetary impact. They will be required to be tested for COVID-19 daily and have to wear masks throughout the team facility and during travel. Furthermore, they will be subjected to weight room capacity limits and cannot leave the team hotel to eat in restaurants or interact with individuals outside of the team traveling party during team travel.
Additionally, unvaccinated players may not use the sauna/steam room and will have to quarantine after high-risk exposure to COVID-19 while those who are vaccinated will not.
Per the guidelines, no social/media/marketing/sponsorship activities are permitted for unvaccinated individuals.
"This is crazy. Did we vote on this?" Beasley tweeted Thursday. "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.
"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."
Within recent weeks, vaccine hesitancy has come to light among NFL players as more either come forward with their thoughts like Beasley or decide to not comment, like Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Sam Darnold, who previously stated he hasn't "been vaccinated yet."
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