Buffalo Bills receiver Isaiah McKenzie published he faces NFL self-discipline for violating the league’s COVID-19 protocols for unvaccinated players by failing to effect on a masks contained within the crew’s facility.
McKenzie wrote: “They bought me! @NFL you get!” in a Thursday social media post whereby he incorporated a reproduction of the first page of a letter he bought from the league informing him of the violation. It was McKenzie’s 2nd violation; the league issued him a warning on July 27, a day sooner than the Bills opened coaching camp.
Under league tips, the first offense for violating the protocols will result in a sexy of $14,650. Repeat violations could moreover result in a participant being suspended or fined every week’s wage.
“Or no longer it is miserable when players gain fined, real?” Bills coach Sean McDermott stated Thursday of McKenzie’s self-discipline. “That being stated, these tips were agreed upon and in region and smartly communicated for a while. So it is crucial for us that we point of curiosity on being stable and wholesome, that is No. 1, that is repeatedly been No. 1, after which No. 2 is doing our simplest to discontinuance eager on the purpose and the explanation of why we’re here, which is to get football video games.”
For the explanation that initiating of coaching camp, the NFL has despatched written warnings to roughly 120 players leaguewide and fined 25 players for refusal to effect on a masks and/or Kinexon tracking instrument, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported, per source.
The NFL wrote that McKenzie twice failed to effect on a masks on Wednesday. The first violation came while he walked thru the crew’s fieldhouse to the coach’s room, and the 2nd was later within the day while he was in a gathering dwelling of the weight room map other players.
The league also notorious his violation came quickly after NFL crew made a presentation reminding players of the masks-sporting necessities and that penalties could moreover discontinuance up to players who fail to compose so.
“For players who’re no longer fully vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, esteem you, your conduct is expressly prohibited by the protocols,” the NFL wrote. “All but again, your conduct seemingly compromised no longer only your safety, but the protection of others, as smartly as the league’s ability to ensure your membership’s coaching camp is performed in a stable manner.”
McKenzie was sidelined on Wednesday and wore his left arm in a sling after being bother in note a day earlier.
His violation comes days after four Bills players were required to utilize as a minimum five days in self-quarantine after being deemed to maintain shut contact with a coach who tested optimistic for COVID-19.
The four players are receivers Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis and defensive tackles Celebrity Lotulelei and Vernon Butler. All four tested detrimental on Tuesday, while classic manager Brandon Beane stated the coach — who’s vaccinated — is experiencing soft symptoms.
Beasley answered to McKenzie’s tweet Thursday, writing, “Don’t wretchedness they bought me too. But I used to be sporting a masks as soon as I used to be in shut contact with fully vaxxed coach who tested optimistic and silent bought despatched dwelling. So what’s the point of the masks as a minimum? Meanwhile I am here silent sorting out detrimental and can no longer map aid. Build it map sense.”
Fellow Bills receiver Stefon Diggs notorious in a following tweet, “15okay is loads of money lol…”
The Connected Press contributed to this report.
