Free agent pass rusher Dwight Freeney isn’t afraid to tell his fellow NFL players how it is. Days after Denver Broncos corner Aqib Talib was involved in a situation that led to him being shot, Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman caught up with Freeney.
The future Hall of Famer didn’t hold back when discussing the topic of guns and their impact on off-field incidents surrounding players.
“As players, we have too much to lose,” Freeney said, via Bleacher Report. “People will pick fights with you because of who you are. Some guys target us. If that happens, and you’re in public carrying a gun, what do you think will happen?”
Freeney wasn’t specifically talking about the Talib situation. But his comments do have a direct correlation here. At best, reports are sketchy regarding the shooting that left Talib hospitalized over the weekend.
What we do know is that he did reportedly have a gun at a local nightclub. He was also highly intoxicated at the time of the incident.
“Having a gun to protect your home is different from having one on you when you go out in public to a bar. I don’t know what Aqib did or didn’t do. I do know one thing,” Freeney continued, talking specifically about the recent incident. “If you have a gun on you, chances of you being shot, or shooting someone, are higher. That I know.”
This may go into the entire debate about gun use and ownership in the United States. However, it’s more about common sense.
Why would one put themselves in a position to be carrying a weapon at a place such as a bar or a nightclub? Are you going to protect yourself by opening fire in front of a crowd? If so, just how much harm are you placing others in?
For his part, Freeney has a realistic way for fellow players to avoid these situations. It’s a common sense conclusion.
“If you go to a club and feel you need to carry a gun there,” Freeney said, “you shouldn’t go to that club.”
Well, that seems to make a ton of sense.
As Freeman noted in the article, Freeney is among the most-respected players in the entire NFL. When he speaks up on such a hot-button topic, others are surely to listen.
Currently a free agent, the 36-year-old Freeney has played 14 seasons in the league. He ranks 19th on the all-time sack list with 119.5 and has earned seven Pro Bowl nods.