NFL star Travis Kelce is 'one of the biggest pieces of s***' for promoting Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, while NBA star Kyrie Irving has been wrongly vilified for opposing the jab, according to the controversial UFC fighter Colby Covington.
The Trump-obsessed 35-year-old mixed martial artist has been making headlines since Saturday's unanimous decision loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 296 — a defeat he has repeatedly attributed to judges' alleged hatred of the 45th president of the United States.
Covington noted his usual list of conservative themes on this week's PBD podcast episode, saying he feels sorry for NBA players who are not allowed to express their opinions.
'NBA is not a free competition. Like, I have guys who have reached out to me on Instagram from the NBA,” Covington claimed.
“They say, man, we appreciate you standing up for Colby, but we can't say the same thing because then we lose our livelihood. Then we will no longer have checks to pay for our houses and to put food on the table for our families.”
Colby Covington took some time off from MMA to delve into vaccines and freedom of speech
Chiefs star Travis Kelce appeared in commercials for Pfizer, promoting its COVID-19 vaccine
Covington is not the first athlete to make this claim against the NBA.
Previously, former NBA center Enes Kanter accused the league of smearing him for his criticism of Nike's labor practices and the league's business relationship with China.
“I mean, look what they did to Kyrie Irving,” Covington continued, referring to the Dallas Mavericks star who was forced to sit out earlier in the pandemic due to his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
“They painted him on the street like he was the greatest bad guy of all time,” Covington continued. 'That man simply believes in freedom of speech, in his own right to choose what he does with his body. My body, my choice.'
Covington's explanation of Irving's situation left out several important facts.
First, the NBA has not suspended Irving for the 2021-2022 season.
On the contrary, Irving's refusal to get vaccinated put him in violation of local workplace regulations in New York City at the time, meaning he couldn't play home games for his team, the Brooklyn Nets.
Irving was never actually suspended by the NBA for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID
Additionally, the Nets banned Irving from road games for part of the 2021-2022 season, citing a desire not to rely on part-time players. However, the Nets eventually relented, allowing Irving to prepare for road games before New York City changed its COVID-era policies, allowing Irving to adjust to Barclays Center.
To Covington, the real bad guy in the sport is Kelce, who reportedly made $20 million supporting Pfizer.
“He's not like Travis Kelce who believes in, 'Oh, I'm getting paid by Pfizer; Guys, take two shots at once, that's the healthiest thing you can ever do in your life.”
Covington appears to be referring to the CDC's recent recommendation that it is safe to receive a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine at the same time.
“Dude, two shots?” Covington continued. I didn't get the vaccine, I don't believe in it [the] vaccine, but I'm not against anyone who does believe in it [the] vaccine.'
'If you do get the vaccine, you should probably only get it one at a time because if there is an adverse and wrong effect in it, how can you know which one is causing it if you get two at the same time? time?' Covington asked. 'That is irresponsible. Travis Kelce is one of the greatest plays of all time because he advises people to do that.
“You know he's not doing it, he's just telling people to do it because he's getting paid off and bought out by Pfizer. It's disgusting.'
UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, left, celebrates after being declared the winner
Covington then claimed that LeBron James' son Bronny went into cardiac arrest as a result of the COVID-19 vaccine after doctors ruled the medical emergency was the result of a congenital heart defect.
“You never heard of that ten, twenty years ago before these Jabs came out.”
While vaccines have some negative consequences, experts generally agree that vaccination against COVID-19 outweighs those risks.
In addition, cardiologists told the AP that there have long been cases of athletes going into cardiac arrest before the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fact, a study published in November by The American Heart Association found that over a 20-year period through 2022, the rate of sudden cardiac arrests among athletes dropped by as much as 29 percent every five years.
Among 1,102 deaths among college athletes, the study found not a single case of death from COVID-19-related myocarditis.