Jewish players react to posts by Eagles WR
While teammates of Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson remain conspicuously silent about the controversy he stirred with antiSemitic posts on social media, some Jewish players in the NFL are starting to make their feelings known.
Jackson on Tuesday apologized twice for posts on Instagram he made over the past weekend in which he used quotes he believed to be from Adolf Hitler, though they were not, and which praised militant Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, labeled an anti-Semite by most watchdog organizations.
That has not stopped New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman and Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz from weighing in.
Neither called for Jackson to lose his job, which could still be on the table following a statement by the Eagles that they are “continuing to evaluate the circumstances and will take appropriate action.”
Edelman extended an olive branch to
Jackson, saying he sees “an opportunity to have a conversation.”
The former Super Bowl MVP even suggested that they take turns visiting the Holocaust Museum and the Museum of African American History and Culture with each other.
“Afterwards, we grab some burgers and we have those uncomfortable conversations,” Edelman said in a video he posted to Instagram. “This world needs a little more love, compassion and empathy.”
Edelman also said in his video that “antiSemitism is one of the oldest forms of hatred. It’s rooted ignorance and fear. I remember experiencing a little bit of this hate in 2011, when I was called a kike on the football field.”
Schwartz also saw an opportunity, writing on Twitter that, “My hope is we can use this moment to shed light on and bring awareness to the hate and oppression the Jewish Community still faces while standing strong with the Black Lives Matter movement. We can only have change if we denounce racism and bias in all its forms. Our platforms as athletes are a powerful tool, and with them comes immense responsibility. We can all do better.”
Mitchell’s brother Geoff, a former NFL lineman, told the New York Post that he wasn’t surprised few other players have spoken out against Jackson’s posts.
“There was more outrage, people were more upset with Drew Brees than they were with DeSean Jackson,” he said.
Brees, the New Orleans Saints veteran quarterback, sparked a furor last month when he said that he would “never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America,” in reference to a question about former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who knelt during the national anthem in what he said was a protest against police brutality. Brees later apologized.
The Eagles have been silent since their statement on Tuesday condemning Jackson’s posts, but Jackson did not help his cause by liking an Instagram post that suggested he should not have had to apologize.
Seems this issue will not be going away anytime soon.
The Eagles open training camp for rookies, quarterbacks and select veterans on July 22. The rest of the team doesn’t report until July 28.
The veterans reporting early are generally those who are coming off injuries, as Jackson is following core muscle surgery that ended his 2019 season in November.
Morning Call reporter Nick Fierro can be reached at 610-778-2243 or nfierro@mcall.com.