Tampa Bay Buccaneers vast receiver Antonio Brown has been accused by his former live-in chef of acquiring a faux COVID-19 vaccination card. Based on a report from the Tampa Bay Occasions, Steven Ruiz (the chef) claims he acquired a textual content message from Brown’s girlfriend, Cydney Moreau, in early July that indicated Brown was prepared to pay $500 for a solid Johnson & Johnson vaccination card.

The Occasions was offered a screenshot of the alleged textual content message dialog between Ruiz and Moreau. The alternate was as follows:

Moreau: “Are you able to get the COVID playing cards?” 

Ruiz: “I can attempt.”

Moreau: “JNJ shot. AB stated he would provide you with $500.”

Ruiz instructed the Occasions he was unable to acquire the faux COVID-19 vaccination playing cards, however that when he visited Brown’s house a number of weeks later, Brown confirmed him faux playing cards he had obtained elsewhere. Ruiz said that Brown had instructed folks round him that he was fearful about adverse results from the vaccine on his physique. 

Brown’s legal professional, Sean Burstyn, issued a assertion denying the allegations. “Be like Antonio Brown and get the vaccine,” Burstyn stated, per NFL.com. The Buccaneers additionally issued a assertion addressing the difficulty.

After an intensive instructional course of performed all through our group this previous offseason highlighting the advantages of the COVID-19 vaccines, we acquired accomplished vaccination playing cards from all Tampa Bay Buccaneers gamers and submitted the required info to the NFL by way of the established course of in accordance with league coverage. All vaccination playing cards had been reviewed by Buccaneers personnel and no irregularities had been noticed.

CBS Sports activities NFL insider Josina Anderson reported that there’s a feeling inside the Buccaneers that the allegation is financially motivated. “This entire factor is about getting paid” a supply instructed Anderson. “No proof.”

Based on the Occasions, Ruiz stated he spoke about this concern now as a result of he’s owed $10,000 by the receiver, which he has been unable to acquire after settlement negotiations with Brown’s attorneys had been unproductive. Brown, who has been out since Week 6 with a foot harm, didn’t reply to a request from the Occasions for remark, and the staff didn’t make him obtainable both, per the report. 

If Brown is discovered to have solid a COVID-19 vaccination card, there’ll virtually absolutely be severe penalties personally, professionally, and financially. The Inexperienced Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers had been every fined after Rodgers was discovered to have violated the league’s COVID-19 protocols, and the identical would presumably be true for Brown and the Bucs. In October, the NHL participant Evander Kane was suspended for 21 video games for falsifying a vaccination card.