Bills’ Jon Feliciano gives support to Cole Beasley and anti-vax stance

Feliciano, the Bills’ 28-year-old starting left guard, sent out a post on Twitter Wednesday evening critical of the coronavirus vaccine. He subsequently deleted the tweet.

Feliciano’s post read: “It’s been proven that Covid was made in lab. Fauci also a part of Pfizer. That’s why ppl don’t want to get the vaccine. Sad to come to the realization that you can not trust the government. #dontshootthemessenger.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci is the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The post comes in the wake of more Twitter posts this week by Bills receiver Cole Beasley, who arguably has been the most vocal anti-vax proponent among NFL players.

After Hall of Famer Michael Irvin stated players who didn’t get vaccinated don’t want to win as badly as players who do get vaccinated, Beasley disagreed.

“You can be vaccinated and not do all the right things football wise to be at your best,” Beasley posted. “All it means is players are gonna be out there with covid and we won’t know cause they only get tested once a week so the NFL can make their money.

“I’ve already had a teammate who was vaccinated be sent home for covid yesterday,” tweeted Beasley on Tuesday. “Luckily he caught it on Monday. Cause if it was Tuesday he would’ve given it to everyone for a whole week before being tested again.”

Actually, players who are vaccinated get tested once every 14 days. Unvaccinated players get tested every day and figure to be at higher risk of landing on the Covid reserve list on Saturday or Sunday during the season.

Arizona All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins then posted a message in support of Beasley, writing: “Never thought I would say this, But being put in a position to hurt my team because I don’t want to partake in the vaccine is making me question my future in the @NFL.”

Hopkins subsequently deleted the post.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell warned all 32 teams on Thursday in a memo that teams that experience a Covid-19 outbreak among nonvaccinated players could forfeit regular-season games, with players on both teams not getting paid, the Associated Press reported. No games would be rescheduled under those circumstances, Goodell wrote.

“As we learned last year, we can play a full season if we maintain a firm commitment to adhering to our health and safety protocols and to making needed adjustments in response to changing conditions,” Goodell wrote.

After the report hit the news, Beasley posted: “Nothing has changed. I’m still livin freely. Goodnight.”

The NFL has not made vaccinations mandatory. The NFL and the NFL Players Association are strongly urging players and staff to get vaccinated.

Also this week, NFL Media reported there are now 14 teams with at least 85% of their players vaccinated. Plus, more than 78% of players in the league have received at least one shot of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said Thursday his team was “over 50%” vaccinated and “hopefully headed toward 100%.”

Feliciano’s post did not come as a surprise because he has posted on Twitter in support of his teammate, Beasley, in the past. Beasley posted last week about the NFL striving to make the most money possible.

Feliciano responded: “Don’t forget the coaches. … Trying to force them to get vax or they can’t coach in person. A lot of these coaches were former players who’s helping them?”

The Bills, along with most NFL teams, report to training camp on Tuesday. The NFL set camp rules for vaccinated and nonvaccinated players last month.

Nonvaccinated players must wear a mask while at the team facility and during travel with the team. They must remain physically distant from teammates while inside the team facility. They must remain physically distant in the team meal room and not eat with teammates. They may not leave the team hotel to eat in restaurants and may not interact with anyone outside of the team traveling party during the travel.

Fully vaccinated players and staff who have been exposed to a coronavirus-positive person will not be labeled a high-risk close contact, so they will not be subject to a mandatory five-day isolation.