Bucs players suspended over COVID-19 protocol

TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — The NFL announced Thursday that Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers Antonio Brown and Mike Edwards person been suspended 3 games for violating the NFL-NFLPA's COVID-19 protocols.

A 3rd player, escaped cause John Franklin, III, was besides suspended for 3 games for protocol violations.

According to the league, the NFL Players Association conducted a associated reappraisal with the league into allegations the players misrepresented their vaccination presumption nether the league's COVID-19 protocols. The reappraisal supported the allegations, according to the league statement.

In a associated statement, the league and NFLPA said, "The wellness and information of players and unit is our apical priority. The protocols were jointly developed moving with our respective experts to guarantee that we are practicing and playing shot arsenic safely arsenic imaginable during the ongoing pandemic. The NFL-NFLPA jointly reenforce their committedness and further stress the value of strict adherence to the protocols to support the well-being of everyone associated with the NFL."

Brown has been a cardinal receiver for the Bucs erstwhile he's been connected the field, but he's battled injuries successful caller weeks. Edwards is simply a third-year beardown information with the Bucs. He has 25 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 3 interceptions this season.

The suspensions for violating the protocol travel conscionable weeks aft league MVP candidate, Green Bay Packers backmost Aaron Rodgers was fined for his assertion to beryllium immunized, but ne'er receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Rodgers missed clip portion successful the COVID-19 protocol aft investigating affirmative for the disease, but wasn't suspended.

The league said Brown, Edwards, and Franklin each accepted their suspensions which began immediately. Brown and Edwards volition adjacent beryllium eligible to play successful precocious December.

According to a statement obtained by NFL.com's Ian Rapoport from Antonio Brown's lawyer, Sean Burstyn, Brown is vaccinated and volition usage the clip disconnected to rehab his ankle injury.

The Bucs issued a connection connected Twitter astir the suspensions.

This communicative was primitively reported by Tim Kephart connected abcactionnews.com.