Bills' Josh Allen creates a stir with COVID-19 vaccine remarks
Josh Allen raised some red flags Wednesday by expressing his views on the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines being injected into tens of millions of arms across the country.
Speaking on a podcast with The Ringer's Kyle Brandt, Allen said he remains undecided about getting the vaccine.
"I’m a big statistics and logical guy," he said. "So if statistics show it’s the right thing for me to do, I’d do it. Again, I’d lean the other way, too, if that’s what it said.
"I haven’t been paying attention to it as much as maybe I should have. I’ve just been doing my thing and masking up when I’m going out and just staying close and hanging around family.”
Perhaps the admission that he hasn't been paying atttention to it is the most distressing aspect.
“I think everybody should have that choice to do it or not to do it,” Allen continued. “You get in this tricky situation now where if you do mandate that, that’s kind of going against what our constitution says and the freedom to kind of express yourself one way or the other. I think we’re in a time where that’s getting a lot harder to do. Everybody should have that choice."
Everyone still does have that choice. That's not changing.
Perhaps Allen should pay more attention to that dynamic too, instead of listening to sources that may lead him to believe otherwise.
Either way, his comments caused some uneasiness, to say the least.
WROC-TV sports director Thad Brown, who's covered the Bills for more than two decades, Tweeted: "Josh Allen's vaccine comments today weren't smart. You know it. I know it. Despite a segment of #BillsMafia having trouble accepting Allen isn't perfect in every way, fumbles happen. He'll take some heat today, maybe even get a vaccine by training camp and we'll all move on."
Allen was not as controversial when talking about a contract extension that he is certain to receive sooner or later.
"When it happens, it happens,” he said. “Honestly, I love playing football. I want to listen and be engaged in the contract talks. Ultimately that’s why you pay your agents and that's why you hire a guy like [Bills general manager] Brandon Beane and [assistant GM] Joe Schoen and the front office guys.
"They’ll iron out the details, and if we can get to something soon, I’d obviously love to be locked down in Buffalo for a very long time. It’s a place that I call home. I love being there. I love the fan base. I love the city."
Beane has said he will turn his attention to an extension for Allen after the NFL Draft.
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro.
