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Cole Beasley has never really been afraid to speak his mind since making a name for himself in the NFL, and he’s once again managed to whip up some controversy after going out of his way to take a hard stance against guys who decide to paint their nails.
I don’t think I’m going to stir the pot by saying women have historically cornered the market on that particular pastime since it first became A Thing (the practice can be traced back to ancient China). That’s still decidedly the case in this day and age, but that hasn’t stopped plenty of guys from opting to get in on the action in recent years.
Take, for example, Caleb Williams, a Heisman-winning quarterback who’s set to be selected with the top overall pick in the NFL Draft following a college career where he routinely took to the field with painted nails that he occasionally used to send some vulgar messages to opposing teams.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Francis Ngannou have also been spotted sporting nail polish (albeit some that serves a fairly practical purpose), and celebrities including Brad Pitt, Jason Mamoa, and A$AP Rocky have all gotten in on the action at some point.
However, it doesn’t appear Cole Beasley will be joining them anytime soon, as the unsigned wide receiver (who last played for the Bills in the 2023 playoffs) recently decided to hop on social media to let the world know he’s not a fan of that particular trend.
What’s up with all these dudes painting their nails nowadays? That ain’t it….
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) January 17, 2024
The take garnered plenty of responses, and after fellow free agent WR Kenny Stills compared painted nails to tattoos while describing each as a form of expression, Beasley made it clear he didn’t buy into that view while suggesting you’re only expressing “one thing” by adding some color to the tips of your hands.
I disagree. Tattoos tell a story based on the image you get. Painted nails have no image. What exactly are you expressing? Cause I can only think of one thing. Lol https://t.co/oVJrdcdd42
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) January 18, 2024
Beasley didn’t initially specify the “one thing” he was talking about, but plenty of people who read between the lines came to the conclusion he was making some sort of reference to gender and sexuality (which he essentially confirmed in a follow-up).
He also spent a fair amount of time going back and forth with people who took issue with his stance, which included an exchange where he bluntly stated “Cancel me” to someone who suggested he’d crossed the line.
Anyone who kept tabs on Beasley during the pandemic knows this is far from the first time he’s managed to get people riled up online, and I have a very hard time believing it’s going to be the last.