Controversial anti-vaxxer Cole Beasley retires weeks after joining Tom Brady and Buccaneers

Just two weeks after signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, wide receiver Cole Beasley has decided to retire from the NFL. NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero announced the news on Wednesday afternoon, saying that the veteran wide receiver told his agents that he wanted to retire immediately.

Beasley's reason for the sudden retirement is to spend more time with his family and be a full-time husband and father.

"He is ready to be with his family after playing in 11 seasons and it’s time to be a full-time dad and husband.”

Beasley was a free agent at the start of the 2022-23 NFL season and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 21. Due to injuries, the Buccaneers were short on wide receivers and were hoping that the veteran could be a spark in the offense. He had three catches in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers for 12 total yards and just one catch in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs for only five yards.

Beasley has made headlines with his anti-COVID-19 vaccination and protocol stance. The wide receiver was fined by the NFL for not following the face mask policy at the Buffalo Bills facility.

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How long did Cole Beasley play in the NFL?

Wide receiver Cole Beasley went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft after playing his college career at Southern Methodist University. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys and after nearly retiring during training camp, decided to give it another shot at a career in the NFL. In his rookie season, he had 15 catches for 128 yards in 10 games.

He spent seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, making playoff appearances in 2014, 2016 and 2018, creating a name for himself as a valuable slot receiver. After the 2018-19 season, he signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills on a four-year deal.

In his three seasons with the Buffalo Bills, he had 2,438 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He made the playoffs with the Bills in all three seasons. After the 2021-22 NFL season, the veteran wide receiver asked the Buffalo Bills for a trade and they granted him permission to do just that. However, on March 17, 2022, the Buffalo Bills released him, making him a free agent.

Now, after 11 seasons in the NFL, he has decided to call it a career. He's come a long way since nearly deciding to retire during that fateful training camp.