Last week, Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell posted a violent image on his Instagram account that he now says he regrets.
In the wake of the terrible police shootings that claimed the lives of two young African-American men, some athletes have made significant statements in response. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick compared the Sterling shooting to a modern day lynching, while New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony made a heartfelt plea for athletes with influence to use their power to help facilitate positive change.
On the other end of the spectrum, Crowell posted an image to his account that depicted someone cutting a cop’s neck. He has since deleted the image, but some thought to capture it before he took it down. We have chosen not to share that image here, but those who wish to see it can click here.
After being called out for his post, Crowell responded by apologizing on Monday and attempting to explain his action.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHvIa-khSik/?taken-by=i_crowell1&hl=en
While his apology and explanation appear sincere, many are having a hard time accepting his words, based on what you can see in the comments section.
Posting a violent image such as he did was at best a severe lapse in judgement and at worst an action that could have potentially incited violence. Being a person with influence (over 39,000 followers on Instagram and almost 32,000 followers on Twitter), Crowell has an obligation to be smarter about things like this in the future.