Unvaccinated Cole Beasley reportedly racked up nearly $100,000 in fines for breaking COVID-19 rules
Being unvaccinated is costing Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley quite a bit of money. Beasley reportedly received fines totaling nearly $100,000 for repeated violations of the league's COVID-19 policy, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
One of those instances reportedly came in August, on a day when league officials came to review the team's COVID-19 protocols.
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.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) December 26, 2021
Some of Beasley's $14,600 were doubled by the league, leading to Beasley paying near $100,000 in fines, per Mortensen.
Beasley was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday. Since Beasley is unvaccinated, he must miss 10 days if he tested positive for COVID-19. If Beasley was vaccinated, he could return after one negative COVID-19 test as long as he was asymptomatic.
The Bills have not revealed whether Beasley tested positive for COVID-19, but he will miss the team's game against the New England Patriots in Week 16. Beasley was not listed on the team's roster before the contest.
Gameday roster and inactives: pic.twitter.com/8KbD9D1Zsa
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) December 26, 2021
The game has massive implications, as the Patriots sit a game ahead of the Bills in the AFC East. A Bills win would result in a tie at the top of the division. Both teams would then have two games remaining to try and pull ahead. With a loss, it would be extremely difficult for the Bills to win the AFC East.
Cole Beasley will get paid for missing Week 16
Under the NFL policy, Beasley will still receive a paycheck in Week 16. That policy was put in place by both the league and the NFLPA. Beasley, who makes $4.7 million in 2021, will be paid $261,111 for Sunday's game.
That policy could be changed next season. Several league executives reportedly believe unvaccinated players should not be paid if they miss games due to COVID-19, per Mortensen.
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.— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) December 26, 2021
Beasley made headlines over the summer for calling out the league's COVID-19 rules. Beasley, who is not vaccinated, called himself pro-choice when it came to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Tuesday marked the second time Beasley was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Beasley was also placed on the list in August, when he was deemed a close contact with someone who tested positive. Sunday will mark the first game Beasley will miss due to being on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
