Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane has no problem cutting unvaccinated players.
Right now, the NFL is pushing new coronavirus protocols ahead of the new season, and that includes easing restrictions for players who are vaccinated. Well, if you’re on the Bills and don’t get your shots, you might find yourself out of a job. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Players and staff who aren’t fully vaccinated will be required to COVID test every day, and cannot do group activity while awaiting results. Players and staff who are fully vaccinated will only be required to test once a week, with no such restrictions. Continuing to incentivize.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 6, 2021
Beane said the following on the “One Bills Live” broadcast about cutting unvaccinated players, according to the Associated Press:
Yeah, I would. You guys saw it in the fieldhouse, we had three and four meetings going on, and sometimes you’re talking over each other. But it was the only way to pull it off and be social distant. So it would be an advantage to cut a player and fall under that umbrella.
No matter what you think about the vaccine, this is a really dangerous game Beane is about to start playing. The NFLPA will lose their mind if guys lose their contracts over vaccines.
Anyone who thinks the NFLPA will let guys lose millions of dollars over not getting the vaccine is out of their damn mind.
All NFL teams will transition back to regular season COVID protocols by May 17, which means (among other things) groups of more than three Tier 1/2/3 individuals — including players — “are prohibited from gathering outside of the club facility,” per the memo.
Back to lockdown.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 6, 2021
While I don’t know the specific language in every contract in the NFL, I’d be willing to bet that you can’t void guaranteed money over vaccines.
So, is Beane going to cut guys, pay them all their guaranteed money, which counts against the cap, and then try to build a team of fully vaccinated players?
Good luck doing that.
Other parts of the regular season COVID protocols that start May 17 (or May 14 for clubs with rookie minicamps that weekend):
– Max 15 players in one weight room
– No club-organized social gatherings
– No in-person player media interviews
– Max 5 tryouts/visits per week— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 6, 2021
I’m not against vaccines at all, but this stance from Beane is outrageous. The NFLPA won’t tolerate it and it was an incredibly stupid thing for him to state on the record.