Cole Beasley returned to the Bills on Tuesday, and the formerly retired wide receiver was welcomed back to Buffalo with a bizarre compliment.
The 33-year-old announced his retirement from the NFL after a two-game run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But the veteran receiver signed onto the Bills practice squad and likely will be activated for Saturday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
Beasley played with the Bills for three seasons from 2019-2021 and was welcomed back by teammate Isaiah McKenzie.
“@Bease11 The floor is all yours brotha,” the 27-year-old wide receiver tweeted Tuesday.
A fan with a Kirk Cousins profile picture replied, “Stop supporting that anti vaxx loser.” This prompted a simple reply from the sixth-year receiver.
“He’s our anti vaxx loser,” McKenzie said.
Beasley was infamously outspoken on his views on COVID-19 vaccinations during his tenure with the Bills. He and McKenzie were fined over $14,000 for repeatedly not wearing masks in team facilities, which was required for non-vaccinated players. The latter received his first vaccine shot two days after he was fined.
A big irony from the tweets is the Minnesota Vikings fan is a supporter of someone who also has been outspoken on his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine.
Head coach Sean McDermott has said there was “nonstop” efforts from the team to educate players on COVID-19, but he would respect individuals’ choices. McKenzie’s tweet likely showed there is still support for Beasley in the Bills locker room.
According to the World Health Organization, 6,634,816 people have died from COVID-19 as of Tuesday. The death toll in the United States is 1,074,367 — the most in the world. Billions around the world have received the COVID-19 vaccine, but there still are people from under-developed countries that have not received at least one dose, according to the United Nations. The long-term effects of COVID-19 continue to be studied, but the Mayo Clinic notes some people have experienced organ damage affecting the heart, kidneys, skin and brain.
