Kyrie blasts NYC mayor over COVID vaccine mandate update

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Nets' Kyrie Irving blasts NYC mayor over COVID-19 vaccine mandate update

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Sep 20, 2022 2:44 PM ET

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving once again took to social media to address a controversial topic.

Per Brian Lewis of the New York Post and NBC New York, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday that he's scrapping the city's private employer COVID-19 vaccine mandate as of Nov. 1. However, the coronavirus vaccination requirements for municipal employees are staying put for now.

If I can work and be unvaccinated, then all of my brothers and sisters who are also unvaccinated should be able to do the same, without being discriminated against, vilified, or fired. ♾

This enforced Vaccine/Pandemic is one the biggest violations of HUMAN RIGHTS in history.
— A11Even (@KyrieIrving) September 20, 2022

Irving's decision to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 coupled with New York's vaccine mandate regarding players participating in games held at venues such as Barclays Center limited the 30-year-old to just 29 regular-season contests in 2021-22. The city ultimately relaxed rules for unvaccinated athletes in March.

In late August, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports explained Irving and other unvaccinated players shouldn't encounter similar mandates in any NBA markets during the upcoming season.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

More must-reads: