Bills' Isaiah McKenzie Posts NFL's Letter for Fine After Violating COVID-19 Protocols

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie shared the letter he received from the NFL upon getting fined for violating the league's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

The NFL told McKenzie he wasn't wearing a mask on two occasions while walking through the Bills facilities:

Bills wideout Cole Beasley indicated he was fined as well:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated masks are for the protection of others rather than the wearer. While masks provide some level of protection to the person wearing them, the extent of the protection they provide is still being studied.

The NFL told McKenzie he had been warned in July that "future violations of the protocols will result in increased discipline, including for conduct detrimental." NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted the increased punishment includes a fine of up to one week's salary and a four-game unpaid suspension.

The NFL and NFL Players Association rolled out their new COVID-19 policy for training camp and the preseason in July.

The guidelines provide wider latitude for players and staffers who have been fully vaccinated. Those who haven't been vaccinated are still subject to requirements regarding masking, physical distancing and their travel.

Unvaccinated players and staff members also have to quarantine when exposed to somebody carrying COVID-19. Beasley, Gabriel Davis, Star Lotulelei and Vernon Butler were ordered to sit out practice for five days after having close contact with with a Bills trainer who tested positive for the virus. 

Beasley has been outspoken in his desire to remain unvaccinated. He wrote in June that he "may die of covid, but I'd rather die actually living."

On Monday, the United States' Food and Drug Administration fully approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine after previously sanctioning it and a number of others for emergency use during the pandemic.

In July, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a memo laying out how teams that experience an outbreak among unvaccinated players may have to forfeit games that cannot be rescheduled. Players from both teams would also lose their game checks for any forfeited matchup.

The Bills open the regular season Sept. 12 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.