Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley: 'Covid is not keeping me out of this game. The rules are'

Beasley arguably has been the most vocal anti-vaccine proponent among NFL players, saying on social media last summer that he would rather retire than be forced to get vaccinated and wanted to live his life his way. 

Beasley has said he is not pro or anti-vaccine but is "pro choice" to allow each person to make an individual decision. 

He remains unvaccinated. He will need to quarantine for 10 days under NFL protocols, meaning he will miss Sunday's game in Foxborough, Mass.

In a statement posted on Instagram titled #letBeaseplay, Beasley said, "Just to be clear: Covid is not keeping me out of this game. The rules are. Vaxxed players are playing with Covid every week now because they don't test. One of my vaxxed teammates is in the hospital missing games. I'm sure he didn't get this same energy.

"Thank you for those who support. To everyone else, if you don't get what's happening there is nothing anybody can do for you."

Under the NFL protocols, vaccinated players test weekly and unvaccinated players test daily. The league issued new guidelines last week that allow vaccinated players to return as early as the next day after a positive test provided a player is asymptomatic for 24 hours. 

Beasley said he is feeling "fine with mild symptoms" and said, "I look forward to being back out there with my teammates soon."

There's a good chance the Bills also will be without receiver Emmanuel Sanders vs. the Patriots. Sanders was unable to practice last week and missed the Carolina game Sunday. He was deemed "week to week" by coach Sean McDermott after suffering a knee injury against Tampa Bay. Gabriel Davis replaced Sanders in the lineup against the Panthers. 

Beasley and fellow wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie were fined earlier this season for not wearing their masks in the team facility, though Beasley said he was fined for taking "five steps" into the facility without his mask on. McKenzie responded to the fine by getting vaccinated. 

If Sanders also is out this week, it likely would mean more snaps for McKenzie in Beasley's slot position.

Beasley is enjoying another productive season. He has 76 catches for 640 yards and one touchdown in 14 games. He ranks second in the NFL in catches out of the slot position with 63, behind only the Los Angeles Rams' Cooper Kupp (73). Beasley had 82 catches for 967 yards in 2020.

Meanwhile, offensive lineman Jon Feliciano, who was placed on the Covid list hours before the game against Carolina and said he spent Sunday morning in the emergency room, offered an update on his condition on social media. He tweeted: "Earlier today I went in and got the monoclonal antibodies took about an hour and a half went back to hotel, take a nap cause I felt exhausted, woke up feeling pretty good hopefully it can stay like this!!"

Feliciano also noted he is vaccinated and that didn't stop him from testing positive. 

earlier today i went in and got the monoclonal antibodies took about an hour and a half went back to hotel, take a nap cause I felt exhausted, woke up feeling pretty good hopefully it can stay like this!!

— Jonathan Feliciano (@MongoFeliciano) December 21, 2021

Left tackle Dion Dawkins also remains on the Covid list after missing Sunday's game against the Panthers. Othere Bills on the Covid list are A.J. Epenesa, Tyrel Dodson, Bobby Hart and Mike Love.

The Bills announced that West Seneca East and University at Buffalo offensive lineman Evin Ksiezarczyk has been signed to the practice squad.