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The year 2020 brought a lot of challenges for everyone in the world, including professional athletes. The National Football League was one of the sports that had to place very strict protocols in place to ensure that there wouldn't be any COVID-19 infection breakouts across the league.
The Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills were two teams in particular that had breakouts, causing them to postpone games and play without their top players.
The National Football League recently released updated protocols for teams to follow as training camp approaches for the new season. These new rules are split into two different categories, one for those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine and the other for those who haven't.
The NFL has not made it mandatory for players, staff, or coaches to get the vaccine, but they are taking precautions so that they don't have any issues down the road. Players who aren't vaccinated will have to follow last season's protocols whereas vaccinated players will have more freedom.
The Buffalo Bills have been the center of a recent controversy regarding the vaccine
This past May, Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott was asked about his players and the vaccinations. He said that he was aware of the fact that vaccines were causing a divide in the United States. He was concerned about his players and their response to vaccines but, stressed the importance of getting the jab and being able to move on from COVID-19. McDermott said:
"Just trying to be real about it and make sure people understand what normal is going to look like, in particular for those who are unvaccinated come the fall."
This week, with the NFL Players Association announcing the protocols, there were players around the league who wouldn't disclose whether they had been vaccinated. One of the most vocal players was Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley. He took to Twitter to display how he felt about not only the vaccines but also the Players Association's ruling.
Beasley went as far as to say that he and his family don't need the money and that he would be willing to get fined for not following protocols and would even consider retirement.
Cole Beasley isn't the only member of the Buffalo Bills to speak out about the vaccines. Earlier in the year, quarterback Josh Allen said he was contemplating whether or not to get vaccinated. At organized team activities this offseason, Allen refused to comment on whether he was vaccinated as of yet.
This has of course caused a storm on social media, with current and former players, media and fans alike voicing their opinions on the topic.
The COVID-19 vaccine and protocol discussion isn't going to stop anytime soon. In fact, once training camps open, this could become the biggest topic of conversation.
