Cole Beasley fines: Repeated NFL COVID protocol violations reportedly cost $100K for Bills WR

As it turns out, ignoring COVID-19 guidelines can harm more than just your health.

Bills wideout Cole Beasley, outspoken critic of coronavirus vaccines and the virus in general, has been fined multiple times throughout 2021 for violating the league’s COVID-19 protocols, per ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

MORE: Cole Beasley’s COVID-19 comments — A timeline of tweets from Bills WR

Mortensen reports that Beasley’s tab with the NFL is just around $100,000, citing league and NFLPA sources. 

In December, Beasley ended up on the NFL’s COVID-19 reserve list, missing the Bills’ Week 16 game vs. the Patriots, as he is an unvaccinated player. Beasley, though, says that the virus isn’t actually what landed him on the COVID list.

“Just to be clear, COVID is not keeping me out of this game. The rules are,” Beasley said in an Instagram post. “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. Everyone else, if you don’t get what’s happening then there is nothing anybody can do for you.”

Beasley has, on more than one occassion, criticized the league’s protocols as well as the player’s union for their stance on the coronavirus and vaccination for players.

In addition to having issues with the league and the union, he’s also had issues with Mark Cuban, owner of the Mavericks, as well as Bills fans, who booed him during a game earlier in the season.

Beasley, in his third year with the Bills, has caught 76 passes for 640 yards in 2021.

How much does Cole Beasley make?

In 2019, Beasley signed a four-year, $29 million contract with the Bills with $14.4 million in guaranteed money.

Per Spotrac, Beasley is due just over $5.8 million in cash and carries a $7.3 million cap hit. 

The Bills can move on from Beasley (if they so choose) prior to the 2022 season, as they would save $6.1 million against the cap. Releasing him would incur a $1.5 million dead cap penalty.

Cole Beasley career earnings

Per Spotrac, over 10 seasons in the NFL, the veteran wideout has earned $38,422,620 in total. 

The counts his four-year rookie deal with Dallas, his three-year extension while with the Cowboys and the four-year deal he signed with the Bills prior to 2019. 

If Beasley sees out the final year of his deal with the Bills, his total career earnings would eclipse the $44 million mark.