Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving recently received an apology from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith regarding his decision to remain unvaxxed during the pandemic, which cost him millions of dollars. For some, these statements were a welcomed piece of accountability not normally seen in the media. It also got me thinking about what other COVID-era athletes deserve apologies from the media, and recognition for their courage during a time in which being unvaxxed was essentially a crime in the eyes of the media.STEPHEN A. SMITH ONLY SPEAKS UP ABOUT IMPORTANT SOCIETAL ISSUES ONLY WHEN IT'S POLITICALLY ACCEPTABLENo athlete became more synonymous with the vaccine debate than the greatest tennis player of all-time, Novak Djokovic. (I like to refer to him as Novax when discussing this insane era of sports history).Although Djokovic repeatedly rejected the label of being "anti-vaccine," he consistently maintained that medical decisions should remain a matter of personal choice. He consistently preached a message of bodily autonomy in regards to COVID-19.In 2020, he stated, "I am opposed to vaccination if someone is forcing me to take a vaccine in order to travel." Two years later, following his deportation from Melbourne, Australia, home of the Australian Open, he reiterated, "I was never against vaccination, but I've always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body."Despite those statements, much of the media portrayed Djokovic primarily through the lens of vaccine opposition and as Djokovic said to "60 Minutes," "I was basically declared as a villain of the world.""Time" magazine published articles including "Why Australians Are Furious About Anti-Vaxxer Novak Djokovic" and even wrote in an article, "The entire saga could easily have been avoided if Djokovic had been fully vaccinated." "Vanity Fair" ran "The Right Wing Is Rallying Around Novak Djokovic Over Vaccine Stance," while "Axios" referred to the controversy simply as "The Djokovic Debacle."The consequences for Djokovic extended beyond media criticism. Because Australia canceled his visa before the 2022 Australian Open, he was deported and unable to compete. United States travel requirements also prevented him from entering the country for several major tournaments, including Indian Wells, the Miami Open, and the 2022 U.S. Open.The mistreatment of Djokovic cost him millions of dollars and potentially a major or two. It objectively affected the record books and his pocketbook.The apology from tennis and mainstream media should be just as loud as the criticism, but I’m not expecting it.The then Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi became one of the NHL's most recognizable unvaxxed players. For a time, Bertuzzi was only one of four unvaxxed players in the league, but eventually become the only unvaxxed player when others folded.Unlike some athletes who frequently discussed vaccine policy, Bertuzzi offered little public commentary beyond confirming that he had chosen not to be vaccinated. Bertuzzi said, "It’s a personal choice, freedom of choice, and life choice."What made his case so special is the fact that he’s Canadian. Because of his lack of vaccination, he wasn’t allowed to play in or travel to his home country during the season.The NHL never required players to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, Canada's border policy at the time prohibited most unvaxxed foreign nationals from entering the country. As a result, Bertuzzi missed every regular-season game played in Canada during the 2021-22 season and forfeited the salary associated with those games. Missing those games up north reportedly cost him around half a million dollars. It was another courageous stance financially and ethically.The media labeled his decision as "short-sighted and selfish." We have yet to hear one hockey media member or outlet apologize to Bertuzzi for the way he was vilified during that season.SWITZERLAND FIRES HOCKEY COACH WHO ADMITTED TO FAKING VACCINATION STATUS FOR 2022 BEIJING OLYMPICSThe now retired, former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley emerged as perhaps the NFL's most outspoken critic of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, along with Aaron Rodgers.Unlike many players who kept their decisions private, Beasley openly challenged league policies and defended players' right to make their own medical decisions. Among his most widely quoted comments were, "I'll be out in public. If you're scared of me, then steer clear," and "I'll live my one life like I want to."Those statements generated enormous media attention. ESPN, CNN, and countless newspapers and opinion writers regularly covered Beasley's comments. Outlets criticized him for questioning vaccine policies or argued that he was sending the wrong message to fans.While the NFL did not require players to be vaccinated, they made life very difficult for those who refused. The league established different protocols based on vaccination status. Unvaxxed players were subject to daily COVID testing, masking requirements, travel restrictions, quarantine following exposure, and additional limitations inside team facilities.Beasley called out the league for holding him out of crucial game against the New England Patriots in December 2021 because he tested positive for COVID, calling out the double standard of how "vaxxed players are playing with COVID every week now because they (NFL) don’t test."The NFL also warned that teams experiencing outbreaks among unvaxxed players could potentially forfeit games if contests could not be rescheduled. Beasley frequently argued that these policies effectively pressured players into receiving the vaccine despite there being no formal mandate.No media member or outlet has publicly apologized to him. Not shocked.ANTHONY FAUCI’S LAWYER SAYS AARON RODGERS 'SHOULD STICK TO FOOTBALL’ AFTER SCORCHING HIM ON PAT MCAFEE'S SHOWOrlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac became one of the NBA's most prominent voices defending individual choice during the pandemic, after becoming a cultural lightning rod for refusing to kneel for the anthem in the NBA Bubble.At the NBA's 2021 Media Day, Isaac stated, "I am not anti-vax. I'm not anti-medicine." He also explained, "I don't think being unvaccinated means infected or infectious," and said that after recovering from COVID-19 himself, he believed natural immunity played a role in his personal decision. Wow. What a concept.His press conference quickly became one of the most widely discussed media sessions of the NBA season.Many of his critics in the media claimed he was anti-science, selfish, and spewing right-wing propaganda."Rolling Stone," which claimed Kyrie Irving was a conspiracy theorist, also named Isaac for his anti-vax stance. Isaac’s comments were quoted in the "Rolling Stone" report, which concluded Isaac refused the vaccine after watching Trump press conferences. Isaac destroyed that claim the first chance he got, stating that he was "badly misrepresented."Unlike some professional leagues, the NBA never implemented a league-wide vaccine mandate. Instead, local government rules created different circumstances for players depending on where they played. New York City's vaccine requirement prevented unvaccinated home players from participating in games, which most notably affected Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving.Isaac, however, played in Florida, where no comparable local mandate prevented him from competing. While he remained subject to the NBA's COVID protocols for unvaccinated players, he was never suspended or barred from playing solely because of his vaccination status.While he didn’t suffer financially like Irving, Isaac was a bold voice who received a lot of vitriol from the media. Still, no apologies have been offered, though I believe they are deserved.STAY "FEARLESS" ON THE GO! TAKE TOMI LAHREN WITH YOU. DOWNLOAD THE TLIF PODCAST NOW!Each athlete became the subject of intense public debate, and each received significant criticism from portions of the media. Some lost massive amounts of money for their bold stances. All four athletes consistently framed their decisions as matters of personal choice rather than opposition to medicine itself. Their experiences became defining examples of how sports, politics, public health, and individual liberty intersected during one of the most polarizing periods in modern sports history.These athletes deserve our love and respect. They were catalysts for change and encouraged countless Americans and Canadians to stand firm in their convictions.While I don’t expect to see media members and outlets take Stephen A. Smith’s lead in taking accountability and humbling themselves in regards to the covid vaccine, we can at least find solace in the fact one courageous athlete has received his flowers.